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Cutting Holy Throats is the sole release from the band Moloch. This demo emerged from the northern darkness of Sweden in the autumn months of 1995. What can be found here is raw and evil-sounding Black Metal that pulls no punches.
The songwriting is rather straightforward, and yet never boring. Unlike many of their Swedish brethren, Moloch avoids the path of the overly melodic, as well as the trail toward grinding nothingness. The dominant elements are the guitars and vocals, much as it should be. The drums are by no means buried, but rather kept to a normal level and the performance itself limited to only what is necessary for the songs. The guitars possess an ugly sound, though the riffs are still easily discernible, even during the faster parts. The compositions are rather dynamic, featuring enough variation to keep the listener's attention. "När Valkyrierna Rida" gives off a dark and morbid feeling, particularly during the slower section. This is definitely the standout of the demo. As for the title track, it is rather flat, though not bad. "Fucking the Demoness" hearkens back to old Bathory and Grotesque. "Satan" brings a darker feeling to the recording, connecting a bit more with the first song than with the material in-between.
Moloch certainly did not reinvent Black Metal with Cutting Holy Throats, nor would I imagine that was ever their goal. Perhaps, it is neither unique nor special, but this demo is definitely worth tracking down for those that appreciate raw and ugly Black Metal from the mid-90's.
