Hypothermia - Veins (2006)

Released in September 2006, Veins is the first full-length album from Hypothermia. Hailing from Sweden, this band is another of the countless entities that claim to make 'Depressive Black Metal', a sub-genre that mostly consists of pointless trash and posturing. Like many things in this empty modern age, it seems to be more about image than substance. 

The first thing that one may notice is the extremely pitiful and preposterous vocal performance by Kim Carlsson. From the beginning of the first track, it appeared that he would be more restrained and at least hold some of his effeminate screams in, but he unleashes many pointless and farcical little squeals, later on. It is as if most fans of early Burzum that go on to make their own music were half-deaf and just heard shrill screaming from Count Grishnackh, whereas his voice actually possessed a raw and primal feeling, a true sincerity that is lacking in almost everyone that attempts this style. Even Landfermann's over-the-top vocals, on Bethlehem's Dictius Te Necare, had some sort of feeling. However, Hypothermia is content just existing as some sort of parody. Carlsson's voice sounds like a nine-year old girl that is afraid of a spider. 

Beyond roaring in laughter at the horrible vocals, there is not much to keep one's attention. The music is immensely boring and accomplishes nothing. The melodies are lifeless and convey no sort of feeling, whatsoever. The songs don't build toward anything, nor do they take the listener on a journey. It's all just background noise, and quite poor at that. After a slew of demos, somehow, these guys thought that this material was worthy of recording for their debut full-length, their first real impression upon the music world. Yet what they have offered is more audio rubbish that is just as tedious and uninteresting as before. The only value that this monotonous filth could have would be to put people to sleep, that is, if the vocalist would stop crying over the end of his three-week relationship from ninth grade. 

Hypothermia is a complete waste of time, more of a joke band than anything else. How this project has any followers is beyond me, as it is wholly without merit. People like this probably got attracted to the general aesthetic of Black Metal and thought it was a nice little club to join, since they felt misunderstood and lonely, deciding to imitate it for one reason or another. The title of track two says it all, this is definitely a "failure". There is absolutely NOTHING dark or depressing about this horrid little album. Avoid this and listen to early Burzum, Strid and Mütiilation, instead.

Gorgoroth - Instinctus Bestialis (2015)

Following the soap opera surrounding the rights to the Gorgoroth name, it seemed as if Infernus was motivated to reclaim the band's former glory and to prove his worth. Though Quantos... had its problems, it was the best thing they had released since Under the Sign of Hell. At that time, he talked about working on new material already, thus much was expected from these guys. Then a couple years passed and all they had to offer was a very poor re-recording of one of their classic albums (always a bad idea), displaying their refusal to abandon the modern and plastic sound of Asklund's studio. Four years later, it appears that they failed to learn from their mistakes. Perhaps, Quantos... was an anomaly, and Gorgoroth is condemned to remain a shadow of its former self. The June 2015 release of Instinctus Bestialis confirms this feeling and serves as a disappointing epitaph for a once-relevant band.

The first issue to address is the horribly modern and plastic production job, courtesy of Tomas Asklund. It is understandable to a degree. Competent drummers are difficult to come by, but to find one with his own studio is even better, in the eyes of Infernus. It was the same during Asklund's tenure with Dissection and also Infernal. Unfortunately, his technique is terrible and sounds like a drum machine, so there would not be much difference if they had skipped out on including him at all and simply used a drum program. It's not as if he even plays live with them, so his membership in the band is entirely worthless and adds nothing but a disgustingly sterile and souldead sound to the music, through his role as producer and as the trigger-happy drummer. His overactive performance does not ruin as much as one might expect since the songwriting, itself, is extremely flawed. That is the second main problem with Instinctus Bestialis. Infernus must have been quite confused while composing these songs, forgetting that Gorgoroth is supposed to be a Black Metal band. Too many of these riffs, as demonstrated already in the second song, sound like modern Death Metal. I doubt anyone waits in anticipation for a new Gorgoroth album so that they can hear pointless chugging and generic melodeath. The magic is gone. Infernus might be able to pull a few decent melodies from his mind, but even half of those are just rehashed from previous songs, such as "Ad Omnipotens Aeterne Diabolus" lifting ideas from "Satan-Prometheus", while the other half seem to be rejected Dissection riffs. Similarly, "Awakening" sounded better the first time I heard it, on the previous full-length, under the title "Aneuthanasia". Finally, the new vocalist is rather worthless and the epitome of average. It may be that the deeper vocals were desired since the direction of the music has changed so much. I'm not sure that even Pest could have saved this wretched pile of excrement. So while the vocals are boring and not at all what one would expect for this band, the end result is not effected so much, due to the poor and forgettable songwriting. 

This is what happens when people become professional musicians. Instinctus Bestialis possesses no true spirit, and deep down Infernus knows it. This is merely a commercial product that is meant to make some money for the band so that they can continue touring and living off of the music, instead of having to get real jobs. I'd considered Gorgoroth to be dead several years ago, but Quantos... gave hope that things were back on track, in the hands of Infernus. Instead, he's proven that he no longer has it, and that this band is irrelevant. Gorgoroth is not the band to keep the black flame alive, so forget them. Instead, look to Finland and the likes of Clandestine Blaze and Horna, or just stick with the classics. Either way, avoid this pile of garbage. 

Clandestine Blaze - New Golgotha Rising (2015)

Two years have passed since the last Clandestine Blaze album, and very little of worth has emerged from the realm of Black Metal in that time. So many mediocre, forgettable, plastic, fake and worthless recordings have polluted the scene, so it is extremely refreshing that Mikko has returned with another dose of pure and uncompromising Black Metal, in the form of New Golgotha Rising. 

Clandestine Blaze has always managed to maintain the traditions of Black Metal while also adding something to it, proving that one needs not countless bells and whistles to dress up the music if a true understanding of said music is possessed in the first place. While only clocking in at around thirty-eight minutes, New Golgotha Rising feels far more immense and meaningful than one might expect. The songwriting is rather stripped-down and primitive, but is not really minimalist in the same sense as Transilvanian Hunger or the old Branikald material. Though the songs are pretty straightforward, there are enough variations in the riffing and also subtle changes in the percussion that give a lively and often aggressive feeling to the songs. As usual, the compositions center around sombre and menacing tremolo melodies, with a good mix of old school riffing thrown in. One can hear definite influences from the early albums of Darkthrone and Burzum, which have long been key components to the foundation of this band. The latter begins to bleed through in the second song, "Fractured Skull", which possesses an ominous feeling that hearkens back to tracks like "Praising the Self" from Fist of the Northern Destroyer. 

One thing that Clandestine Blaze has always been capable of is creating a dark and unsettling atmosphere. It is not just that Mikko knows which notes to play, but he knows why they need to be played and by which methods to best get the most out of each one. The opening riffs of "Consumed By Flames" really demonstrate this, reminiscent of Darkthrone's "Where Cold Winds Blow". Bands such as Satanic Warmaster often displayed enough technical skill to closely imitate the old bands, but always failed to give the songs any true depth or to imbue the listener with a sense of dread. Clandestine Blaze is no shallow copy.

Often, throughout the career of this band, Mikko has tried his hand at incorporating Celtic Frost influences, with varying degrees of success. It has only been in recent years that he has managed to really work these bits into the rest, without it sounding disjointed. In the case of the title track, Fenriz would be very proud of the way Tom Warrior's riffing style has been utilized to create something dark and evil, rather than boring and plodding. In fact, this almost pays homage to Hellhammer's "Triumph of Death" with the tortured screams and genuinely plague-infected feeling of the riffs. 

The only real weak point of this record comes with "Culling the Species". The choice of a cleaner vocal approach is quite odd and produces a strange effect. The music is not bad, but the vocals are rather awkward and take some getting used to. I would recommend just skipping it, but some of the riffs are really worth hearing. 

The gloomy and macabre feeling deepens with the final two tracks, featuring a lot of mid-paced and funereal riffs. "Passage to New Creed" features somewhat of a false-finish, perhaps a nod to classic Bathory. "Final Hours of Sacrifice" is the lengthiest song on here and offers absolutely no hope, no refuge and not a trace of light breaks through this inescapable darkness. The slow intro is a harbinger of things to come, while the main tremolo riffs wear you down and cut though you with an frigid sense of melancholy that will haunt long after the record has ended. 

There's nothing plastic or disingenuous about this. The production is appropriately raw, but retaining enough clarity for everything to be heard. As for the songwriting, there is nothing to complain about. In an age where so many false bands wrongly whore out the aesthetics of Black Metal and receive undeserved praise, Clandestine Blaze simply toils away in relative obscurity and continues to churn out worthwhile pieces of music that remain true to the essence of Black Metal and do well to keep the black flame burning through these darkest of times. New Golgotha Rising is very much recommended.

Tsjuder - Possessed (1996)

Tsjuder is one of the later bands to emerge from the Norwegian Black Metal scene, having nothing to do with the earlier wave of better-known bands. Their 1996 demo, Possessed, demonstrates precisely why it took so long for them to manage to record a proper full-length or to gain any amount of notoriety at all. 

The best thing going for this demo is the necro, garage-quality, sound. This is one case of the raw production helping to mask the weaknesses of a band. As well, it is useful for burying various passages of double bass drumming, which would have sounded awful, otherwise. 

Behind all of the fuzz and static is a band that has no clear vision for what they want to create. The songwriting is painfully average, at best, as Tsjuder do nothing but imitate the bands that came before them. They add nothing unique to differentiate themselves from the rest of the hordes that jumped on the Black Metal bandwagon around this time. In itself, that would be no big deal, but the compositions are just so mediocre. Despite the raw sound, the riffs on this demo are never very dark or threatening or evil. There are hints of atmosphere, from time to time, as Draugluin tries his best to channel the likes of Varg Vikernes or Infernus, but the sub-par arrangements leave most of the tracks dead in the water. 

Possessed is the work of a tenth-rate Gorgoroth clone with bits of Emperor thrown in. Even Nag's vocals sound like a weak impersonation of Hat. Everything about this is average, and that is being generous. That said, this is probably the best thing that Tsjuder ever released. This is not a horrible demo, and can be enjoyed on some level, but it offers absolutely nothing that had not already been heard a thousand times, even by late 1996.

Nifelheim - Satanatas (2014)

Nifelheim is a band that, seemingly, values playing live more than spending time in the studio. Thus, fans are tortured in-between releases, as they become more and more rare. The wait from Servants of Darkness until Envoy of Lucifer was hardly bearable, but ultimately rewarding. Since then, another seven years has passed and still no full-length. However, in December 2014, a special E.P. was released, available only at live shows. 

Titled Satanatas, this mini-album features three tracks of uncompromising and old school Black Metal, as it should be. No more forced to look to the likes of Mordant or Pest, the trademark sound of Nifelheim triumphantly seizes the consciousness of the listener with "From Hell's Vast Plains". There is a sense of familiarity in certain parts, reminiscent of "Infernal Flame of Destruction", though soon taking on an identity of its own. The songwriting skills of Tyrant and Hellbutcher cannot be praised enough, somehow managing to compose mini-epics all while maintaining an ugly and primitive feeling.

"I rise in flames

from Hell's vast plains

to burn...

til nothing will remain"

One noticeable difference between Satanatas and Envoy of Lucifer is that the production is not quite as clear, sounding more like the previous releases. This suits the pure 80's vibe of the compositions, particularly "Bestial Rites". This song really hearkens back to early Bathory, like a more sinister and possessed take of The Return... There is a subtle gloom to this track that darkens the atmosphere all the more. As always, utterly hellish solo work remains a key component of Nifelheim's songwriting and is very effective. 

These guys are truly remarkable in their ability to craft excellent songs, never sacrificing the purity of the music and still being able to make each track stand on its own and sound distinct and original. "Praise Lord Satan" is the longest of the three, clocking in at just four and a half minutes, and is instantly memorable after just one listen. It is amazing how Nifelheim is able to sound so old school and so unique, both at the same time, never falling into the trap of merely coming off as some kind of 'retro act'. 

The duration of Satanatas is less than twelve minutes, and yet this is some of the purest and most genuine Black Metal that has been released in several years. Though many false bands claim that the black flame burns within them, Nifelheim need claim nothing. There music proves that they are, and always have been, among the few that are actually toiling away in an effort to keep hell's fires burning. Seek out this essential recording however you must. 

Pest - Dauðafærð (2004)

More often than not, bands will record their best and most inspired material early on in their careers, only to degenerate over time and to become irrelevant. However, there are times when the musicians go the opposite direction and actually get their acts together with time. In the case of the Swedish band Pest, they had done nothing of note for some years, other than release a string of unimpressive and mediocre Darkthrone worship. Yet, in 2004, they surprised many with the brilliant Dauðafærð E.P. 

This release consists of a single track that stretches over twenty minutes. Based on their past, one would think that Necro and Equimanthorn were unsuited for such a task, but they managed to put together a monumental piece of Black Metal. "Lífit es dauðafærð" sounds as if the band had put their Darkthrone records aside for a while, instead preferring to listen to the classic works of Burzum. The slow build-up is reminiscent of "Det Som En Gang Var", and some of the slower riffs also sound very much influenced by this track. The vocals, though, are far from the tortured screams of Varg Vikernes. Necro's voice sounds utterly filled with hate and surely the old Norse lyrics help with this harsh feeling. Throughout the song, more primitive riffs alternate with bitter cold tremolo melodies that come together to create a dark and frozen atmosphere. Finally, the production of a Pest album really works well with the material, being clear enough to hear all that is going on but still allowing for a raw edge. Despite its length, "Lífit es dauðafærð" never becomes tedious or repetitive, as there are several tempo changes. This is the sort of music that would be really fitting to accompany one while wandering through a frozen wasteland, littered with corpses, on the way toward some endless dark forest where the chains of mortality shall soon be broken forever. Therein lies one of the strongest qualities of the song, that it is able to take the listener beyond their surroundings and on a journey into darkness. As it progresses, a sombre feeling begins to emerge as the cold blade caresses your flesh. The knife will have the last word, and the snow-covered earth shall drink your blood...

Dauðafærð is an epic, dark and majestic offering that is about as essential as any post-90's release can be. Rather than purely mimic their main influence, as they had done on earlier albums, Pest used it as a foundation on which to create some truly impressive Black Metal. The sole track here is dynamic, engaging and never bores, whatsoever. It is dripping with a cold and dark atmosphere and exudes the sort of passion that the band's previous output absolutely lacked. The strange thing is that, following such genius, the band went on to release another mediocre album that seemed to have no connection with this, at all. Regardless, this E.P. is highly recommended. 

1349 - Liberation (2003)

1349 appears to be one of the more popular bands to emerge from Norway in recent years. The reason for this is quite unknown. One listen to their debut effort, 2003's Liberation, is proof enough that the fires of old school Black Metal have truly been extinguished in Norway. No amount of well-known musicians or big labels can make up for lack of quality. 

One word can sum up everything that is wrong with this album: modern. Here one can find a mixture of influences that are forced together, awkwardly, with no real direction and a total lack of focus. So much of the material is played at hyper-speed for no other reason than to be fast. Despite the high tempo, there is absolutely no sense of aggression or urgency to these parts. Worse still, the drumming dominates the entire album. Frost's performance here is completely over-the-top and just a masturbatory display of technical skill with no thought to what would best benefit the compositions. To make matters more unbearable, his overactive percussion is far too high in the mix and distracts from the rest. 

The songwriting is not utterly terrible, though mostly generic. None of the guitar melodies are given any real time to play out or to breathe, shifting from one pointless riff to the next. There is absolutely no atmosphere to be found on this album. One can detect bits of old school influences, which would be a good thing if not for the fact that they float around as fragments of what once was, in a sea of modernity. The best song on here is a cover of Mayhem's "Buried by Time and Dust", and they completely butcher it and render it lifeless and bereft of the morbid feeling possessed by the original.

Liberation is a good example of modern 'extreme metal'. The original material clocks in around thirty-five minutes and it must not have taken much longer than that to write this simplistic nonsense. 1349 fail to create an atmosphere of darkness or to convey any evil feeling, whatsoever. This is just more watered-down, easy-to-digest kiddie trash, masquerading as Black Metal. It requires more than fast playing, spikes and corpse paint to be Black Metal, and these guys really missed the mark. Avoid this.