Thule - Der Vinterstormene Raste (1993)

Taake was never a band that particularly impressed me. In fact, Nattestid... was actually rather irritating, despite the praise heaped upon it by others. The bits and pieces that I heard of the two albums that followed did nothing to change this impression. At some point, I decided to pick up the Helnorsk svartmetall compilation, though it also seemed rather lackluster. That is, with the exception of the last two tracks, which were taken from the first Thule demo. Released in 1993, Der vinterstormene raste is easily the best thing that Hoest has ever had a hand in. 

The opening moments of "Et Skaldekvad I Hellig Blod" seem somewhat upbeat, before the catchy rhythm is replaced by a cold and mournful tremolo melody. This is quite typical Norwegian Black Metal, for this period. The riffs are pretty similar to what one would hear from the early demos of Gorgoroth, Enslaved or Urgehal. The lo-fi recording really helps to lend a grim and gloomy atmosphere to the music. Despite the demo-quality sound, the bass is audible and provides a contrast to the cold guitar tone. The combination of the frigid tremolo riffs and sombre bass lines really serves to create a dismal feeling. Near the end of the first track, as the pace slows, the misery washes over you in overwhelming waves. Hoest's vocals are utterly inhuman shrieks, very high-pitched and adding a primal feeling to the music. Svartulv's backing vocals add a hellish vibe as well. The second track, "Rasekrig", continues to build on this harsh and melancholic feeling, with blistering cold sections that give way to dark and dreary melodies that carve through your flesh and leave you to bleed out in the frozen night. 

Der Vinterstormene Raste is such a great demo, really epitomizing the sound of classic Norwegian Black Metal. The music here is cold, bleak, evil and otherworldy; things that have so often been lost on those that try to emulate this style. It is difficult to fathom why Hoest decided to abandon this approach for the more pretentious sound of Taake, for there is just a sense that this was but a harbinger of things to come. As previously stated, these tracks are available on the Helnorsk svartmetall compilation, so they shouldn't be too difficult to find. This is well worth a close listen.

Urgehal - Ferd (1994)

Urgehal was one of the younger bands, emerging onto the scene after the Norwegian Black Metal sound had been firmly established by such well-known antecedents as Mayhem, Darkthrone and Burzum. As with many others that began around this period, their roots went no deeper than their immediate predecessors, lacking the rich tapestry of influences that helped give birth to the aforementioned acts, as well as the likes of Emperor, Dissection or Immortal. Their first demo, Ferd, may seem rather one-dimensional but it is the best thing the band ever recorded. 

Released in December 1994, this offering is highly derivative of another piece of music that first saw the light of day in this cursed year. Of course, the album in question is Darkthrone's masterpiece, Transilvanian Hunger, which was clearly a very important record for the guys in Urgehal. That this album had a significant influence upon this band is absolutely transparent. One could say that Ferd is little more than four tracks, a total of seventeen minutes, of pure Darkthrone worship. In fact, they managed to jump on this 'bandwagon' very early, even beating to the punch such bands as Judas Iscariot and Russia's Branikald. 

Ferd features very minimalist compositions, owing a great deal to Transilvanian Hunger. Each of the four songs consist of a few really haunting tremolo melodies, similar and yet distinct from one another. The style is very repetitive, with little to no variation in the drumming, as well as the uniform picking technique that is utilized. The entire recording maintains a singular pace. All of these elements combine to create a rather hypnotic effect. The vocals are somewhat buried in the mix, leaving the mournful guitar riffs as the main point of focus. The atmosphere is one of impenetrable gloom and hopelessness, with some moments of "Den som jakter i natten" hearkening to Burzum's "Det som en gang var". The latter melody of "Din ofrelse" is reminiscent of Darkthrone's "Slottet i det fjerne", attempting a very similar sort of build. Like those two bands, Urgehal also chose to go with Norwegian lyrics and song titles, though it hardly matters as the vocals do not figure into things in a significant way. 

Despite maintaining what most would call a fast pace throughout this demo, Urgehal display a total lack of intensity. Of course, a somewhat weak sound could result from the production as, after all, it is just a demo tape; however, Ferd has about the same sound quality as Gorgoroth's A Sorcery Written in Blood, and one would never make the mistake of claiming that as a recording that lacked intensity and conviction. The lifeless feeling may very well result from the actual songwriting, as the guitar melodies seem rather similar to those on Branikald's Varg fjerne a tornet and The Cold Earth Slept Below..., by Judas Iscariot. That said, this is not a criticism of Urgehal, but just an observation. The songwriting, playing style and production all serve to beget an overwhelmingly dreary and morose feeling. The monotony of this demo never becomes tedious or boring, something that cannot be said of the more varied songwriting of the unimpressive full-lengths that followed. While Ferd does lack the bitter cold feeling of those albums that inspired it, Urgehal's debut offering is well worth listening to. 

Satyricon - All Evil (1992)

Recorded and released in the summer of 1992, All Evil is the first demo from Satyricon. This offering is quite interesting, having very little to do with the sound that the band would become known for. It's the only recording to feature the original line-up of Lemarchand, Wargod, Exhurtum and the soon-to-be usurper, Satyr. 

All Evil is quite brief, consisting really of just two actual songs, the title track and "Dreams of Satyr". The style is really stripped-down and primitive, bearing almost no resemblance to Dark Medieval Times. Lacking any synth to use as a crutch, the barbaric and gritty vibe is derived solely from traditional instruments. The sound is definitely a mixture of Black and Death Metal, perhaps leaning a bit more toward the former. The raspy vocals, toned-down drumming and some of the more droning riffs near the end of the two primary tracks aid in creating this feeling. Strangely, the opening riff of "All Evil" sounds as if it influenced the song "Lifeless", from Darkthrone's Ravishing Grimness. The songwriting is a little disjointed, as the faster riffs and lead solos seem to come from nowhere. "Dreams of Satyr" is more straightforward, for the most part, and flows better in general. 

The production is about as lousy as a demo tape from 1992 would lead one to expect, though nothing near as raw or necro as Wrath of the Tyrant or Yggdrasil. It could almost be compared to the early Thorns material, though with a weaker guitar that seems buried in the background by comparison. As well, the bass is too audible at certain points, giving a rather warm feeling to the music. 

Obviously, All Evil is a recording that pre-dates Satyr's takeover of the band and subsequent fascination with the likes of Burzum and Darkthrone, so it is rather unique within Satyricon's discography. The Death Metal aspects aren't anywhere near as violent and intense as the likes of Amputation or Thou Shalt Suffer, and the Black Metal side doesn't come close to being as dark as the other releases that were emerging from Norway around this time. That said, it isn't a bad little dose of early 90's Black/Death Metal and is worth a listen or two. 

Horna - Kun synkkä ikuisuus avautuu (2006)

Originally available as a limited edition cassette, released in 2006, Kun synkkä ikuisuus avautuu somehow slipped under my radar for the past several years. Given the prolific output of this Finnish horde, it is certainly no surprise. Immediately upon hearing this compilation of demo material, recorded in 2000, it became clear that this was yet another essential Horna release. Thankfully, it has since been reissued on CD (and also on vinyl, I believe). 

Kun synkkä ikuisuus avautuu features demo versions of songs that later appeared on Ordo Regnum Sathanas and the ill-fated Sudentaival L.P. While the former is not a bad release, and fits in rather well with the likes of Kohti Yhdeksän Nousua and Perimä Vihassa Ja Verikostossa, Sudentaival was an absolute abomination and the blackest mark on the face of Horna until the recent acquisition of their new Mansonite vocalist. The material on this release represents the pure, raw Black Metal spirit that Horna had kept alive for so long. 

Whereas the album versions of several of these songs were utterly ruined by the completely plastic and modern production, the demo recordings present these songs in their true form. The quality is pretty lo-fi, to say the least, though not quite as rough as the Moonblood rehearsals. This is more along the lines of Emperor's Wrath of the Tyrant, in sound and atmosphere. Actually, it is most similar to Tyranny Returns, by Sargeist, probably even using the same equipment and location. The guitars are thin and possess a fair amount of fuzz, though still the dominant aspect of the tape as the drums are kept to the background. This is a massive improvement, of course, as the Sudentaival album was rendered worthless largely due to the over-produced drums that were so high in the mix as to drown out most of the other instruments. 

The single most important element of Horna's sound, over the years, has been the brilliant songwriting of Shatraug. The grim and necro approach of Kun synkkä ikuisuus avautuu allows the guitar melodies to create a morose atmosphere of impenetrable gloom. Nazgul's vocals do well to match this, as he utilizes more tortured screams in songs like "Sudentaival". As opposed to his more forceful and aggressive delivery on the full-lengths, he took the opportunity to explore other parts of his vocal range on some of the other recordings, such as this one. These morbid cries accentuate the haunting melodies of songs like "Hautajaisyö" and "Vihasta Ja Arvista", almost as if the mournful riffs are draining the life from him. Without the overbearing dominance of the drums, as found on the 'proper' studio versions, the guitars take on a ghostly effect that envelopes the listener within each sombre passage. 

Kun synkkä ikuisuus avautuu is highly recommended for fans of Horna or, indeed, those who are drawn to the more necro and lo-fi Black Metal of the early '90s. These demos allow for Shatraug's riff-craft to be truly appreciated, bereft of those foreign elements that ruined the more well-known versions. There is nothing polished, modern or easy-to-digest here. This is pure Black Metal, as it should be. Perhaps, with the exception of the folkish Isengard influence of "Skaldiriimu", which still fits in with the rest of the material, despite the bit of clean vocals. Seek this out or perish!

Pest - In Total Contempt (2005)

Not long after the fairly brilliant Dauðafærð, Sweden's Pest returned in disappointing fashion with the March 2005 release of their second full-length album, In Total Contempt. This is a clear case of one step forward, two steps back. Though still clearly derivative of other bands, the previous E.P. was superior to anything that the band had ever released. For a time, Pest had redeemed themselves. To then follow this with such a weak effort is a bit puzzling. 

In Total Contempt sounds like it was recorded by an entirely different band than the one that created the monumental Dauðafærð E.P. Here, Pest returns to their tenth-rate Darkthrone worship, unleashing nearly forty minutes of rehashed ideas with absolutely nothing added to the formula. To make matters worse, they seem to have been listening to a lot of Panzerfaust when making this album, utilizing a watered-down take of Fenriz's interpretation of Celtic Frost, at various times. I would say that these bits are out of place and ruin the flow of the songs, but the truth is that these compositions are dreadful and seem to have just been thrown together with no real vision. As opposed to the band's previous release, there isn't a shred of darkness or atmosphere to be found on this album. 

Even if the songwriting had been leagues better, the production would have remained a significant problem. Overall, it has a grating sense to it, something associated with a lot of modern recordings that are trying to sound lo-fi without actually sticking to analog equipment. The vocals have some static effect to them, just another horrible modern element that could have been done without.  

Pest's second full-length is a tedious listen, indeed. To call In Total Contempt a mediocre effort would imply that these guys even tried in the first place. This album is pure garbage, through and through. The fact that they dedicated this disgusting piece of excrement to the recently-deceased Quorthon is an insult to the man. There isn't a single positive thing that I can say about this atrocity. Despite its influences, this album completely sounds like a product of its time and is nothing less than an utter failure. Avoid this, by all means. 

Acheron - Rites of the Black Mass (1992)

Released in April 1992, through Turbo Music, Rites of the Black Mass is the first full-length album from the American Death/Black Metal band, Acheron. Recorded in the wretched hellhole known as Morrisound, this album is still fairly decent and manages to stand out from many of its contemporaries. While the band was unable to maintain such consistency with its later output, their debut is well worth listening to. 

I recall first hearing this album one night after watching some old horror movies with a friend. With visions of Vincent Price and the Tall Man still fresh in my head, Rites of the Black Mass suited the atmosphere, perfectly. Of the two albums that we checked out that night, the other being the disappointing Testimony of the Ancients from Pestilence, Acheron definitely stood out.

The album features twenty tracks, ten proper songs with intros in-between. Before each song is a guy reciting, what I assume to be, verses from the Satanic Bible that are accompanied by keyboards that give the whole thing the vibe of an old horror movie. For some, this might be a little distracting, but it does serve to create a darker atmosphere than the typical Death Metal album of the period. To that point, the fact that Acheron focused on Satanic themes rather than the usual gore lyrics that dominate this style of music is rather refreshing. 

Musically, this has always reminded me of the first albums from Deicide and Incantation, to an extent. The former moreso because of Crowley's vocal performance, utilizing some higher-pitched overdubs in a similar manner to Glen Benton. The songwriting is pretty simplistic and even the faster tracks, like "To Thee We Confess" or "The Enochian" key are rather 'relaxed' when compared to the blastbeats of an album like Onward to Golgotha. One can definitely tell that these songs were written in '89/'90, as they still possess more of an old school approach. There are a lot of memorable mid-paced riffs throughout the album, such as in "Ave Satanas" and "Unholy Praises", often accentuated with great leads as well. At times, one is likely to be reminded of early Morbid Angel, regarding Slate's solos and some of the drumming as well. While being fairly basic, the compositions are all distinct and engaging and the album certainly delivers on all fronts. The production is a bit muddled and would probably have benefited from a sharper guitar tone, but such is par for the course when it comes to Morrisound. 

When people speak of the classic Death Metal albums from this period, Acheron is rarely mentioned. That is quite unfortunate, as Rites of the Black Mass is one of the most solid efforts to emerge from the old days. Had it been recorded and released a year or two earlier, and distributed by a better label, it may have received more praise and attention. This album is highly recommended for those into old school, blackened Death Metal. Seek this out!

Edge of Sanity - Unorthodox (1992)

Edge of Sanity's sophomore effort, Unorthodox, was released in July 1992 and is considered by Dan Swanö to be his masterpiece. While some of the material is quite strong, this album is definitely inferior to its predecessor. Its running time of nearly one hour is far too long for a Death Metal album, as well, making it a bit much to sink one's teeth into. It should not be dismissed, entirely, but do not approach this with high expectations.

First impressions are often very important and is the main reason why most bands want to start out their albums with one of the strongest tracks they have. However, Unorthodox does not put its best foot forward. Rather, Swanö chose to open the record with a criminal act for Death Metal. Not even a minute into the first proper song, "Enigma", everything calms down and there is this hideous segment with clean vocals. This brief part serves to kill the small bit of momentum that was building, as well as the goodwill from the previous album. For me, it was immensely off-putting and left me with less interest in the rest of the tracks. I don't care about the story or concept of the song, there is no excuse for a Death Metal album to feature some melodic voice singing, "God gives you shelter at heaven's shore, abandon your thoughts to the mighty"... Upon first hearing this, I began wondering if Swanö had converted to Christianity in the time since the last album. Though the rest of the song is quite good, it was just difficult to get back into things, following that atrocious detour. 

As for the rest of the material, there is a small amount of decent songwriting on here. Right off, one will notice the 'improvement' in production, though it probably does more of a disservice to than anything. This time around, Tomas Skogberg was brought in to assist, and the music is a bit more powerful and less muddy. It actually borders on being a little too clear and well-produced. Songs like "In the Veins/Through the Black" and "Everlasting" stand out, slightly, but mostly for the melodic additions that were to be further explored on the following record. As well, the dark and barbaric feeling of Nothing but Death Remains is completely absent from such uplifting and optimistic-sounding riffs as can be found in "After Afterlife". Some of the tracks seem like pure filler, for the most part; "Nocturnal", "A Curfew for the Damned" and "Cold Sun", in particular. The latter was on the right path, until being derailed by unnecessary groove sections. Throughout the record, there are pretty good Death Metal riffs, along with some doomier ones, but they're often used to bridge one melodic section with the next, rather than being the prime focus of the compositions.  

However, all is not lost. The more pure tracks are those like "Incipience to the Butchery" (despite the worthless breakdown in the middle), "Beyond the Unknown" and "The Day of Maturity". The latter two mix intense, fast-paced assaults with slower riffs that give rise to an eerie sensation. These, more or less, hearken back to the more primal feeling of the debut L.P. There are traces of synth, adding a kind of horror effect, as in the past. "Dead but Dreaming" is also a pretty good track, at least attempting to create a darker feel as the album reaches the end. In this case, the melodic ending works alright since it leads into the next song. 

"When All Is Said" is the best track on this album, by far. It's slow, melancholic and possesses a similar vibe to some of the Death/Doom that was beginning to emerge concurrently. Had Swanö opted for this sort of style throughout, Unorthodox might have been a much better record. The sorrowful atmosphere created by this song would be very suitable as someone lay bleeding to death in the darkness. There is a sense of finality, appropriately enough. The riffs are oppressively crushing and there are bits of synth that accentuate the mournful vibe. It almost feels like a funeral procession, to an extent. 

On the whole, Unorthodox is a tedious endeavour. The pure and crushing Death Metal of the previous album is here replaced with too many melodic and so-called progressive elements. It ends up turning into a convoluted mess, for the most part. Even the better tracks fail to match up to such songs as "Tales...", "Decepted by the Cross" and "The Dead". Nonetheless, "When All Is Said" is a brilliant track and is worth the trouble of obtaining this album.