Lord Belial - Kiss the Goat (1995)

Lord Belial's debut album, Kiss the Goat, is another example of what happens when musicians attempt to follow that which has become popular and trendy. Released by No Fashion Records, in May 1995, this L.P. is yet another example of a band that has very little idea regarding the true essence of Black Metal. The songwriting is inconsistent, the delivery is halfhearted and one gets the overwhelming sense that these guys were nothing more than fans that got an opportunity to record an album, with hardly any real artistic vision.

My first encounter with Lord Belial was their sophomore effort, Enter the Moonlight Gate. I had heard it described as pure Black Metal (which turned out to be a blatant lie), so I figured I would give it a shot. What a mistake. Bad songwriting, cheesy clean vocals, flutes and cellos, and an irritating female voice all came together to ruin my night, all those years ago. Other than a riff, here or there, it was a total waste. It was no secret that a lot of bands went astray after their first album or so, thus I gave Lord Belial one more chance, some time later. Again, I paid the price for my mistake.

Kiss the Goat is hardly a Black Metal album, at all. Despite what the band chooses to call the noise pollution that they pass off as music, this possesses much more of a Death Metal mentality, from the riffs and song structures to the overall approach. The fact that the vocalist utilizes a high-pitched, raspy style does nothing to change what this is, at its core. The music is rather diverse, from track to track, with a lot of slower sections that may have been intended to darken the mood a bit. Lord Belial failed in this endeavour, as well as whatever goal they had in mind when including a flute in nearly every song. Even as Death Metal, this album is a loss, as it is unable to create any real sense of atmosphere, either way. There is nothing dark, evil or aggressive about this. The vocals are the most positive aspect, but they wear thin before making it through a single listen. The playing is not the best, though the below-average musicianship is not really a problem, as the real issue is the lack of substance or creativity. It is clear that the band looked to what was going on throughout the underground scene and managed to take bits and pieces from all of their favourites, with minimal understanding. The least awful songs on here are "Hymn of the Ancient Misanthropic Spirit of the Forest" and "Lilith - Demonic Queen of the Black Light", though that is not saying much since they are also compromised by a variety of flaws.

The production is rather horrible, but suits the songwriting well enough. As with most other Death Metal albums of the time, the low-end is quite audible, which makes this more annoying for those that are listening in order to focus on the guitar riffs. The bass is too prominent, and the guitar tone is kind of thick and muddy. Between the two of these, Lord Belial lost any chance of creating a cold feeling, though the actual Black Metal riffs are few and far in-between, anyway. As for the flute, at least it is kind of buried, rather than overpowering the guitars.

Though one or two songs might not be completely grating to the ears, Kiss the Goat is a record that is better left forgotten or avoided. Lord Belial never was anything more than a bottom-feeder band that served no purpose, whatsoever. Just like so many others that hopped on the Black Metal bandwagon, without knowing anything about it, these guys should never have been allowed to record an album. Do not purchase this; you are better off just stabbing your ears with an ice pick. You have been warned.

Mörk Gryning - Tusen år har gått... (1995)

The Scandinavian Black Metal scene was overflowing with mediocre bands by the time 1995 rolled around. So many clueless musicians had jumped on the bandwagon that it quickly became increasingly difficult to sift through the waste in order to find the few decent releases that were worth hearing. More often than not, the hideous garbage that was spewed out was the work of ignorant children that had no idea what they were toying with. This description was never more accurate than when applied to Mörk Gryning, from Sweden, whose members were 15 and 18 at the time when their debut album was recorded. Released on No Fashion Records in 1995, Tusen år har gått... represented a fairly generic take on Swedish Black Metal, ripping off ideas from the likes of Dissection, Marduk and Dark Funeral, among others.

Musically, there is not an original thought to be found on this L.P. Mörk Gryning simply took elements that were present in the works of their contemporaries and mixed them together in such a manner as to remove any and all possibility of enjoyment. Naturally, the material features a core of cold tremolo riffs and raspy vocals, along with varying blast beats. Of course, most Black Metal from this period centered on such things, but the creativity of the musicians involved made each band's interpretation worth listening to. In the case of Tusen år har gått..., even the very best ideas are undermined by the lack of coherent songwriting and a general lack of understanding for the fundamentals of this style. There is too much of a dependence on double-bass to move things forward, at times, along with pointless keyboards that only serve to water-down the atmosphere even further. The horrible deep vocals that are added in, from time to time, make this whole thing even more laughable. The acoustic guitar pieces give the impression that the band really wanted to attain the same kind of depth as that of Storm of the Light's Bane, but they failed in every conceivable way. The cheesy clean vocals further lend more of a gothic vibe than anything that was derived from the likes of Venom or Bathory. There is not one single shred of dark atmosphere to be found here, which is rather pathetic for a band attempting to record Black Metal. This is as paint-by-numbers as it gets, with absolutely no sincerity whatsoever.

The production is kind of flat, similar to Marduk's Opus Nocturne or Dark Funeral's self-titled E.P. It is very weak and fails to place the emphasis on those elements that best deserve it. To go along with the sub-par songwriting, the production actually serves as an additional detriment, being far too clean and modern-sounding. The guitars lack any kind of sharp edge, coming across as very subdued and safe. The drumming is too prominent in the mix, especially the awful double-bass. There is no complaint about the vocals, with the exception of the ridiculous clean goth vocals, which should have been buried a bit more. The keyboards dominate the sound far too much, whenever they appear, though the music is so generic that this distraction is not all that damaging to the experience.

Tusen år har gått... is a worthless pile of garbage, one that should be avoided like the plague. It possesses no redeeming qualities that make it a wise investment of either time or money. If you are interested in some of the less popular bands from the Swedish scene, it is recommended that you check out Throne of Ahaz, Sorhin, The Black and a couple dozen other bands before ever wasting your time on a band as pointless and talentless as Mörk Gryning. There may have been less technically-proficient bands out there, but few were as painfully below average as these two kids. This is a complete joke.

Naglfar - Vittra (1995)

Vittra is the debut release from Sweden's Naglfar. Released on Wrong Again Records (now known as Regain), in May 1995, this bland album added to the already growing dung pile that was desecrating the grave of the Second Wave. While so many classic albums were spawned from 1992-94, they were increasingly difficult to find due to the large number of worthless records that were being pumped out by every third-rate band that wanted to cash in on what had rapidly become the next big trend in Metal.

First off, this album is usually classified as Black Metal, though with the word 'melodic' in tacked onto the beginning of the label. These are the same blind fools that called Dissection melodic Death Metal, which shows just how backward people can be, sometimes. Vittra has far more in common with the early output from In Flames, as opposed to the likes of Nifelheim, Throne of Ahaz, or old Marduk. It can be stated that this L.P. represents many of the worst qualities that were afflicting the underground, around this time. For one, too much emphasis was being placed on trying to sound pretty, rather than creating an atmosphere of darkness or evil. The utilization of synth, clean vocals and acoustic guitars helps to raise the level of cheesiness. This, coupled with the awful songwriting, make it painfully clear that this belongs in the same category as most of the other wannabe Power Metal nonsense, with harsh vocals, that was being vomited forth from the Gothenburg scene. Everything regarding the construction of the songs goes against what Black Metal was, at the time. One glaring issue that should be noted is that the guitar riffs are not the central focus of the compositions. Instead, it seems as if much of the material is moved forward by the percussion and vocals, an error that was already common in Death Metal, by this period. As well, there is far too much double-bass, which only serves to detract more from the mediocre guitar melodies. Even the very best ideas presented here are boring and come across as very halfhearted. Even as far as melodic Black Metal goes, Naglfar did a poor job. Bands like Sacramentum and Vinterland took many of these same elements and achieved much more with them, as their efforts were far more consistent and possessed more creativity and artistic vision.

The production is just as bad as the actual songwriting, itself. However, due to the nature of the music, it is not surprising that they went for such an over-produced approach. Everything here is far too clean and sterile. There is no room for atmosphere, despite all of the theatrics, based on such an ultra-modern sound. This really sounds similar to Lunar Strain, from In Flames, to a great extent. The clarity of the drumming is a particularly annoying flaw, as this makes much more obvious the fact that the percussion is in a leading role, rather than a supportive one. The bass is too audible, which is a common error with albums recorded at Studio Abyss. As for the guitar tone, it is just as lifeless as the rest, not possessing even the slightest bit of a raw edge; something that Metal should always have. Albums like this are exactly why Peter Tägtgren should never have been allowed to operate his own studio.

It is safe to say that Vittra is the aural equivalent of massaging your genitals with a cheese grater. This is horrible stuff that never should have been recorded, let alone released to the public. That is not to say that Naglfar was particularly detrimental to the underground, as they were but one of many that jumped on the bandwagon and contributed to further polluting the scene, but they were absolutely worthless and their debut album is a good example of this. Waste neither your time nor your money on this.

Nachtfalke - Wotan's Return (2011)

Nachtfalke's sixth full-length album, Wotan's Return, was released by Christhunt Productions in 2011, four years after the band's previous effort. The lengthy time in-between records was enough to build a great deal of anticipation in some fans, while others probably assumed that the project was no more. Often, when so many years pass, musicians will come back with something quite inspired and worth the wait. Unfortunately, that is not quite the case with Wotan's Return, which is a mixed bag, of sorts. It is a good album, but not without a good handful of flaws.

The album begins, strangely, with a cover song. Nachtfalke's rendition of Bathory's "Shores in Flames" is not bad, sounding quite a bit like the original version from Hammerheart, but it is not all that remarkable. Moreover, it is very peculiar to open an album with a cover tune. All in all, this was just not a very good idea. It is no secret that Occulta Mors likes to include a Bathory track on each album, but its placement is completely wrong, not to mention the fact that Wotan's Return features two covers, not one.

This is followed by the title track, which maintains a bit of the gloominess of the first song, but in a different manner. This is a rather meandering affair, with harsh vocals and keyboards added in, along with acoustic bits and brief clean singing. It does not flow very well, and none of the riffs are interesting.

"Deep Into the Woods" is an instrumental track that begins with an acoustic passage. There are some sound effects that help bring the title of the song to life, as well. This is not the most impressive composition and it really feels incomplete, as if it was meant to have vocals but nothing could be figured out. The lead melodies are alright, but nothing all that memorable.

The album finally seems to build a little momentum with "Hyperborean Light", which is kind of a dismal song that moves along at a slower pace, with deeper vocals and a lot of repetition in the songwriting. Things shift during the latter half, taking on a melancholy tone that is emphasized by the tormented howling that appears near the end.

The music flows right into the next track, "After a Rain of Fire", which continues with the morose guitar riffs and miserable screams. As the song progresses, it takes on a slightly more epic feeling. It goes without saying that the Viking-era Bathory influence is fairly strong here, without sounding like a carbon-copy of any particular track. This is actually one of the highlights of the album, with an introspective lead melody and more tortured shrieks carrying the song to its conclusion.

"Autumn Leaves" begins with a mournful riff, maintaining the bleak vibe that characterized the previous tracks. While still mid-paced, this one is a little more lively and features some guitar-work, later in the song, that seems to channel Quorthon's spirit fairly well. The songwriting is pretty minimalist and primitive, utilizing only a couple riffs. In this case, repetition is probably a good thing, as there is no real need to attempt to do too much with this.

The final original song is "Asatru", which consists of more mid-paced riffs that hardly stray from the style employed throughout the rest of the record. However, after a couple minutes, things speed up and brief tremolo melodies appear. While Nachtfalke made use of fast riffs in the past, usually hearkening back to the old Moonblood material, this sounds completely different and bears no similarities to the previous band of Occulta Mors. These sections are short and do very little in the grand scheme of things, as the rest is more in line with the preceding songs.

This L.P. concludes with a cover of Bathory's "Call from the Grave", which seems like a strange choice. Up until this point, Nachtfalke had only covered songs from the band's Viking-era, while this one is taken from Under the Sign of the Black Mark. However, it is still a mid-paced song, so there is some level of consistency. It does not fit all that well with the rest of the material, though this record is plagued by a bit of inconsistency.

Wotan's Return is kind of lackluster, with only three or four decent songs to its credit. The two cover songs, as well as the overall arrangement of the tracks, do very little to help this haphazard endeavour. Occulta Mors should have put more effort into writing original material and structuring the record in such a way as to really get the most out of his compositions. This may still be pleasing to Nachtfalke fans, but it is kind of disappointing considering the length of time since the last record, as well as the fact that the bulk of the album seems like filler. Give it a chance, but do not let your expectations rise too high.

Vermeth - Your Ruin... (2001)

By 2001, it was more or less safe to assume that Les Légions Noires was nonexistent. Bands such as Vlad Tepes and Belketre were no more, while Mütiilation had transformed into something hardly recognizable. Most of the projects ceased by 1996-97, doomed to languish in the shadows of obscurity. However, the Black Lord Beleth'Rim, of Torgeist, resurfaced after about five years of silence, with a new project. Vermeth's debut album, Your Ruin..., was the result of this, released in December 2001 on Drakkar Productions.

Amazingly, this picks right up from where most of the Black Legions bands left off, in the mid-'90s. From the songwriting to the production, the passage of time is completely unnoticeable. The main difference is that the sound is on the clearer side, though still within the boundaries set forth by the classic releases from the scene. The guitar still retains the same jagged edge that characterized so many of the demos from the likes of Torgeist and Belketre. The vocals are prominent enough in the mix to be heard, without going over the top and dominating the sound. The drumming sounds fake, to be honest, but it is not as overtly obvious as on the later Mütiilation albums. Really, this impression comes less from the actual sound and more from the unnatural precision. The overall sound is very hideous and certainly brought a smile to my face, upon first listen, as I had long hoped to run across some overlooked gem from the LLN scene, never thinking to check out something from several years later and encounter music such as this.

Speaking of the songwriting, this shows absolutely no modern influences. Each riff seems as if it could have been taken from recordings such as March to the Black Holocaust, Time of Sabbath, or Remains of a Ruined, Dead, Cursed Soul. The bulk of the material consists of raw Black Metal with a strong tendency toward morbid gloom and utter hatred. Of the six actual songs found here, there is no lack of dismal tremolo melodies, horrifying screams and the typical palm-muted riffs that were so common in past years. Each song is easily identifiable and separate from the others. The only weak point may be that so much of the music possesses a familiar feeling; however, even if this was to be considered total rehash, at least it would be more audible than the originals. Nonetheless, it is better to think of this as a continuation of the LLN sound, more than anything else. There is something draining about this, as the listener is overwhelmed by a sense of hopelessness and misery that seeps into the veins like poison. Still, it would be wrong to call this overly depressive, as there is an equal amount of bitter hatred that spews forth.

In the end, Vermeth offers nothing new with Your Ruin..., and much of this may still be inferior to the old LLN material, but listeners are provided with a somewhat clearer representation of this style. Everything here is quite solid, as evidenced by tracks like "Let Blood Flow", with no traces of more recent trends. While it does not quite match up to the likes of old Mütiilation or Black Murder, this should still appeal to fans of the Black Legions. Black Lord Beleth'Rim did well with this record, giving birth to another hideous abomination of raw Black Metal. Seek this out.

Vèrmyapre Kommando - s/t (1996)

Les Légions Noires were known for producing some of the most grim, lo-fi Black Metal ever heard. That said, the 1996 self-titled demo from Vèrmyapre Kommando pushes the boundaries even more, creating something so hideously raw and evil that many fans of the Black Legions are unable to fully appreciate it. This is one of the various side-projects from Wlad and Vorlok, of Vlad Tepes, though being a fan of their primary band in no way guarantees that this will possess the same appeal.

Musically, Vèrmyapre Kommando differs from Vlad Tepes in a number of ways. The more traditional Metal influences are, more or less, absent. Still, one can detect some hints of old Bathory, though taken to another level. It sounds much less structured, bearing an overwhelmingly chaotic feeling that permeates the material on every possible level. From the noises before and after some of the tracks, to the actual tunes themselves, this comes across as much more spontaneous. However, upon repeated listens, it seems clear that the tumultuous atmosphere is exactly as planned. While one might get the impression that this demo is the product of a live improvisation, the reality is that there is an underlying organization that holds everything together. Wildly maniacal vocals scream over a mixture of tremolo melodies and thrashier riffs, with a barrage of rapid-fire drumming that all come together to assault the senses of the listener; however, following the initial blitz, things often become a bit easier to digest. Some of the material can, definitely, be considered experimental, though employing traditional instruments rather than incorporating alien elements. "Razoir X Guillotine" is a good example of this. Even "Fihveurhr Attack", while being a more straightforward track, utilizes feedback in such a manner as to create an eerie vibe. The real standout songs are "Juden?", for its raw and morbid atmosphere, and "Blitzcarnage", which features some of the most memorable guitar riffs of the entire recording.

The production is atrocious. It is beyond nasty and vile, which should really please those into the LLN bands, or raw Black Metal in general. One gets the impression that the absolute worst recording equipment and instruments were used, as this is completely horrible. At first, everything runs together and sounds like a giant mess, until your ears get used to it and begin to make sense of it all. The vocals seem drenched in reverb and may have been recorded in a separate room. At least, it sounds like it, at times. The drums account for a lot of the noise on this demo, with the cymbals coming through a little too much. The guitar tone has the feeling of a rusty knife, sharp yet filthy at the same time. Due to the sloppy playing and the poor production, riffs may take a few listens to recognize, but this adds to the charm of the music, in the end.

Vèrmyapre Kommando disappeared after this demo, never to be heard from again. Well, at least, Wlad and Vorlok chose not to record anything else under this moniker. It would seem that this particular experiment ran its course without the necessity of a follow-up. The overall impression given off by this is that they simply wanted to try a few things, without doing so under the Vlad Tepes name, and then moved on to something else. This extremely raw and chaotic material was all that was left behind, which may be more than enough for some. This is not recommended for anyone new to the LLN, as it may be a little much to take in, at first.

Belathuzur - Demo '94 (1994)

Belathuzur was one of the more obscure bands from the French Black Legions, releasing only two demos during its brief existence. This was a solo project of Krissagrazabeth, who is probably best known for his stint as the drummer of Mütiilation. No one familiar with the LLN should be surprised at the hideously lo-fi and primitive sound found on the band's 1994 demo.

This demo contains only two real songs and does not seem too dissimilar from the material heard on such releases as Hail Satanas, We Are the Black Legions and Vampires of Black Imperial Blood. "The Black Battlefields of Evil" and "Sorrowful Moon" are both laden with many of the same characteristics, including the dismal tremolo melodies and melancholic vocal delivery. Krissagrazabeth's voice possesses the same kind of sickness and hatred that Meyhna'ch was vomiting forth, around the same time. The only difference is that the approach heard on the Belathuzur material is certainly more subdued. The music shows a variety in tempo, going from the faster parts to mid-paced sections that really allow for the misery and gloom to sink in and poison your mind. It is a good thing, as the songs are both around ten minutes in length. Things get rather repetitious, somewhat, as it takes a good deal of time for the riffs to shift from one to the next, almost causing a hypnotic effect. The drumming is fairly primitive and one-dimensional. Oftentimes, it sounds like someone pounding on a cardboard box; however, it is enough to get the job done. The dark atmosphere created by the guitar riffs is enough to make up for any shortcomings that this demo may have.

The overall sound is very much like that of Mütiilation's Black Imperial Blood (Travel) demo, from the same year. There is hardly any difference regarding the guitar tone, which is cold and mournful. The sound is thin, with minimal distortion, but still managing to create a raw feeling. Actually, it would be safe to say that these songs would have fit in well with those of the aforementioned demo tape, with hardly any perceivable discrepancies. There is a very loud hissing that distracts from the music, to an extent, but this is likely due to the fact that Krissagrazabeth had to record each instrument on his own, with shoddy equipment.

Belathuzur's 1994 demo really does deserve a close listen. Any fan of the early Mütiilation material will like this, as well as most of those into the Black Legions, in general. Despite its flaws, the overall sound is not that bad, with everything coming across rather clearly and never degenerating into senseless noise. There is a purpose to everything that is going on here and that is to create a dark and miserable atmosphere. It is too bad that this project did not last longer, as can be said of many of the band's peers in the French scene.