The True Werwolf - Battlemoon (2011)

The True Werwolf is another project from the force behind Satanic Warmaster, Pest, Orlok, etc. My familiarity with this one is rather vague, only having heard enough to know that some of the material is rather ecclectic and so on. Fortunately, 2011's Battlemoon is a straightforward recording of raw Finnish Black Metal, which appealed to me right away.

This E.P. features just two tracks, which is a shame as I could listen to an entire record in this vein. The style here is very primitive and raw, even including a bit of hissing and tape warpage that makes it sound like a twenty year-old demo. The songwriting is very straightforward and one can hear traces of old Darkthrone, Vlad Tepes and even Moonblood in some of the riffs in "My Journeys Under the Battlemoon" and "The Grandeur of Death's Palace". Speaking of Vlad Tepes, there are layered vocals throughout the recording that are reminiscent of the multiple voices utilized on their old demos. Many of the riffs on Battlemoon are cold and, at times, nostalgic. This is something that Werwolf is definitely known for. The simple melodies are rather haunting and memorable, and I found myself listening to these tracks on repeat until they'd played about a dozen times, without wearing thin whatsoever. 

The True Werwolf's influences may be transparent (as is often the case with Black Metal anyway), but Battlemoon succeeds in capturing a raw and old sound that should satisfy fans of the aforementioned inspirations, as well as his other projects. It is a good thing that, in this disgusting modern age, some people are still offering up ugly, primitive Black Metal. 

Orlok - In Spectral Castles of Thy Horned Emperor (2015)

After having just discovered the band, it was a pleasant surprise to discover that Orlok was releasing an E.P. in September 2015. Black Funeral Holocaust made a very good impression on me and so there was a good deal of anticipation in hearing In Spectral Castles of Thy Horned Emperor. It did not fully turn out as expected, but is still a decent recording and is worth a listen for those into raw Finnish Black Metal.

The first thing that I noticed was the increased distortion, all around. The sound is very muffled, for the most part, making it a little difficult to decipher some of the riffs. Even more detrimental is the fact that the vocals are almost completely drowning in reverb (or some similar effect). Perhaps, Graf Werwolf was aiming to achieve a very decayed and ugly result with the music, this time around. If so, he certainly succeeded. As opposed to Black Funeral Holocaust, there is not a lot of atmosphere to this recording. There is still a detectable Mütiilation influence, mostly from the palm-muted riffs in the title track. Otherwise, it is nearly impossible to get through all of the ringing and static that clouds these two songs. 

In Spectral Castles of Thy Horned Emperor is better as a collector's item for fans of Werwolf's work, I would say, and serves as more of a rehearsal-type recording. It's not bad, but it is not exactly essential. Hopefully, another full-length is forthcoming and shall return to the morbid brilliance of Orlok's debut album. 

Broken Hope - The Bowels of Repugnance (1993)

Broken Hope's sophomore full-length, The Bowels of Repugnance was released on Metal Blade Records in September 1993. It builds on the sound that they created with their debut album, while streamlining things a bit. Though my introduction to the band came with a dubbed copy of Swamped in Gore, this was the first one that I was able to find in a store. Overall, it's not quite as good, but still a solid record.

The Bowels of Repugnance often relies more on the blastbeats and sections with the rolling double-bass, emphasizing these elements moreso than on Swamped in Gore. Several of the songs are quite brief, compared to those on the previous record, and utilize the aforementioned techniques. Yet there are still plenty of old school Death Metal riffs to be found here, even in these little snippets of violence. "Coprophagia" and "Remember My Members" begin with a lot of blasting and guttural vocals, but soon regress toward the primitive. Regardless of the 'filler' tracks, this record still offers a good amount of pure Death Metal riffs. Songs like "The Dead Half", "She Came Out in Chunks" and "Hobo Stew" owe a lot to the band's 80's roots. The latter even features some fairly sombre solo work. Even "Preacher of Sodomy" begins with dark riffs that evoke the spirit of early Slayer or Death. "Waterlogged" is a rather memorable track that relies on a certain type of groove, so it is likely to be one of the first songs that those new to the band can digest. "Drinking the Ichor" is a melancholic instrumental piece that is kind of reminiscent of Metallica's "To Live is to Die". The final track is another worthy mention, "Felching Vampires" is well-constructed and consists of typical old school riffs and builds a sense of tension at times. With raspier vocals and less double-bass, this would fit well on an album from '88 or '89 with ease. Also, don't get confused by track six, which is an unlisted (and obviously untitled) instrumental. 

Like with Swamped in Gore, The Bowels of Repugnance has more of a deep, percussive sound. Nevertheless, there are still enough decent riffs to be found on here, making it Broken Hope's last worthwhile offering. Death Metal was, more or less, dying by this time anyway, so the decay in quality is to be expected. Either way, for solid American Death Metal, don't neglect the band's first two records. 

Broken Hope - Swamped in Gore (1991)

Oddly enough, Broken Hope was one of the first Death Metal bands that I ever heard, after the likes of Cannibal Corpse and Deicide. Their first full-length, Swamped in Gore, was released in November 1991. Despite this, there is still a clear late 80's feel to much of the material and it certainly belongs to the old school Death Metal category. 

Among the first things that one might notice upon listening to this record are the very deep vocals that I always described as sounding like some creature gurgling from a toilet bowl. Joe Ptacek's voice can be compared to the style Chris Barnes utilized on Tomb of the Mutilated, or even just a deeper John Tardy. While it was not yet so common, and definitely stands out, my personal preference leans more toward the raspier vocals that previous bands used. The deeper the vocals, the less effective they are in really conveying anything, in my view. Some Reifert-like screams would have helped. That said, they fit in with the music, very well. 

As for the songwriting, it's more dynamic than one might expect. It's not technical or progressive, thankfully, but these songs are rarely monotonous. Don't allow the opening moments of "Incinerated" or "Dismembered Carcass" to fool you into thinking Broken Hope is another pointless blastbeast-ridden grind band. While there are those elements, Swamped in Gore is all about the riffs. Whereas a lot of Death Metal became incredibly bland and formulaic around this time, the riffs on this album are by no means interchangeable or generic. Many of them are quite memorable, such as those in the title track, "Awakened by Stench" and "Cannibal Crave". These riffs possess a darker 80's vibe hearkening back to early works from Slayer, Possessed and Death. Here and there, one will also notice bit of Celtic Frost-influenced mid-tempo stuff as well. The guitarists manage to slip in a few evil-sounding lead solos, reminiscent of Hell Awaits, which really adds to the atmosphere. Nothing here can be called groundbreaking or original, but it is very solid and stands on its own. 

The guitars are clear enough, but they definitely have a dirty kind of sound that belongs to the previous decade. This certainly is not a demo-quality recording, but it's not modern or plastic either. Honestly, it sounds as if it could have been recorded a few years earlier, alongside something like the first Asphyx E.P. Still, it does lack the raw guitar tone of albums such as Slowly We Rot and Consuming Impulse and sounds a little more polished than the old Autopsy records, for example.

While the vocal style is not my favourite, and a couple of the tracks are a little longer than they need to be, Swamped in Gore is a great old school Death Metal record and one of the best that came from the US in this period. Broken Hope may have been a second or third-tier band in the states, but this album is one that deserves to be heard. Fans of early Obituary, Asphyx, Incantation and Cannibal Corpse, etc. are likely to appreciate this.

My Dying Bride - The Angel and the Dark River (1995)

Released in May 1995, The Angel and the Dark River is the third proper full-length from My Dying Bride. Unfortunately, the band continued to shed any traces of their Death/Doom roots and what is left is just a miserable, swirling mass of writhing agony and suffering. While this represents a further decay of what the band used to be, it still possesses a few useful qualities. 

Musically, this record is loaded with a fair amount of slow, sombre riffs that just drain the life right out of you. This is accentuated by the clean vocals, which sound bereft of any glimmer of hope. While Aaron's voice does suit the music, one cannot help but miss the powerful growls from previous recordings. Eliminating this aspect from the band's sound, as well as the addition of the piano bits, really softens the music and makes it more one-dimensional. It would have been more effective to retain the harsh vocals for certain parts and to use the clean voice for the more melancholic passages. Perhaps, the monotony is intentional, but as a fan of the older material I find this to be rather disappointing. 

That said, the droning melodies and half-dead voice of "The Cry of Mankind" do create a truly bleak atmosphere. The outro bit does seem to drag on for several minutes too long, however. "From Darkest Skies" is one of the better tracks on here, its main riffs dripping with grief, helped along by the sorrowful violin. There is also some use of a funeral organ, later in the track, which is a nice touch. Harsh vocals would have really benefited the heavier parts of the song. "Black Voyage" and "A Sea to Suffer In" each contain some decent riffs that could have been utilized in a better manner on previous records, but here seem to function as mere filler. The latter, in particular, just comes off as far too soft and lacks the gloom of the former. "Two Winters Only" is a dreary track, one which I thought was quite miserable years ago, but now find it to be too soft and 'pretty'. As for "Your Shameful Heaven", it is the most lively song on the album, but the clean vocals don't work with these more aggressive riffs. Quite frankly, it's a mess. 

My copy of this CD also includes the bonus track "The Sexuality of Bereavement", recorded during the Turn Loose the Swans session. As such, it possesses a completely different sound and really demonstrates how far the band had fallen in just a year or two. The riffs are heavy and dark, still giving off a strong doom vibe, while the violin creates a sense of melancholy. Meanwhile, Aaron utilizes his very distinctive growls to add a sinister edge to the overall atmosphere. Putting this song on here was a massive blunder, in my view, as it absolutely crushes everything else on the CD and reminds the listener of how much better the band used to be. 

My Dying Bride manages to deliver some depressive and sorrowful material here, but one cannot deny that The Angel and the Dark River could have been much better. When a bonus track, recorded just two years earlier, outshines the rest of the compositions, it is clear that the band has become a disappointment. The choice to eliminate the harsh vocals, and to opt for the softer songwriting in general, certainly alienated a lot of fans and made for quite a lackluster release. By this point, these guys should have just packed it in and called it a day. 

Vampyric Blood - Ordo Dracul (2012)

Ordo Dracul, released in 2012, is the first full-length album from Vampyric Blood, an obscure and mysterious Black Metal project from the cold forests of Finland. One would assume that the band's name was inspired by the Crimson Moon album, and there are also a few aural similarities. I initially thought this to be yet another creative outlet of the prolific Werwolf, of Satanic Warmaster, but he denied any connection. Regardless of the composer's identity, what one will find here is raw Finnish Black Metal that maintains the traditions set by those who came before. 

This album clocks in around half an hour and consists of only five real songs, along with an intro and an instrumental. These compositions work best within the context of the album as a whole and there is a great sense of continuity from beginning to end. Ordo Dracul possesses an immensely dark and gloomy atmosphere. The music has a distant quality, reminiscent of some old Moonblood rehearsals, sounding as if it was recorded in the next room. The keyboards, however, are a bit higher in the mix, in a similar manner to Crimson Moon's debut album. That said, what Lord of Shadows has here created is far more organic. A few of the riffs would fit in quite well on some of the early records from Horna or Satanic Warmaster, yet there are also some quite eerie and otherworldly guitar melodies that will haunt your mind, such as those found in "Black Sorcery of Wallachia" and "Gloom of the Eternal Night". There is a sombre feeling that permeates most of the material, which is accentuated by the raw demo-like production. Upon first listen, it may be difficult to fully discern what is going on, as the cymbals, keyboards and vocal echo create sort of a clattering, but it does not take long to get used to the peculiarities of the recording. There are moments where a clean/gothic 'vampire' voice is utilized, but it actually works well here. For example, "Gloom of the Eternal Night" and "Satanic Wraith of the Night" benefit from the limited melodramatics. This is one of the very rare cases where such a tactic actually works, as it doesn't sound forced or cheesy. Throughout the album, there is a growing feeling of deep and overwhelming misery, exemplified by the melancholic notes that close out "The Sanguinary Scent at Dusk". While several of the songs feature slower, down-tempo sections, it isn't until the lifeless and depressive final track, "Devotion & Despair", that the dreary feeling conveyed by these sorrowful melodies completely sink in and overtakes you. The utter hopelessness and grief conveyed here almost seems to drain every bit of energy from you, leaving you empty and lifeless. 

Over three years have passed since the initial release of Ordo Dracul and, as of yet, there has been no follow-up in the form of an L.P. Hopefully, this does not remain the case for very long. Lord of Shadows has done well to continue Finland's ongoing tribute and preservation of the raw Black Metal sound of the mid-90s, while still coming across as genuine and possessing somewhat of a unique feeling. This album would likely appeal to fans of early Mütiilation and Moonblood. While it may not compare to those that came before, it should satisfy those that seek more music in the same vein. Definitely give this a listen.

Inquisition - Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult (1998)

Released in 1998, Inquisition's debut full-length Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult has to have been a joke. This is clearly a parody of Black Metal, yet most listeners don't seem to be clever enough to recognize it. Everything about this, from the ridiculous titles to the generic songwriting to the obvious mockery of the vocals... this cannot be serious. But then how is it that the band still exists? In the seventeen years since the release of this spoof album, Inquisition has gone on to record five additional records. Somehow, they have managed to amass a decent following (at least in the states), through this continued charade.

The most severe problem regarding this recording has to be the vocals. It is inconceivable that anyone would possibly take this seriously. Of course, there have been many rather polarizing vocalists over the years, from Dave Mustaine and King Diamond to Varg Vikernes and Rainer Landfermann. But this goes beyond either a poor voice or an over-the-top style; what Dagon does is the single most absurd thing I have heard. He sounds like someone that has been suffering from throat cancer and needs an artificial voice box to speak. For the most part, that is precisely what he does: speaks. Very rarely are any actual Black Metal vocals used. 

Musically, Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult, does not offer anything so good as to suffer through its shortcomings. The drums are too high and clear in the mix, with the guitars relegated to the background. The clarity of the production does the band no favours, as well. The percussion seems to be the driving force behind the songs, rather than the riffs, with a lot of random tempo changes that do nothing to help create any sort of atmosphere. The riffs are generic and indistinguishable. One can detect influences from the likes of Celtic Frost and Immortal, such as in "Those of the Night", but it is not pulled off very well. Speaking of which, one gets the impression that some of the song titles are a direct mimicry of the latter. The slower sections with the open arpeggio riffs are the most enjoyable parts, but they just come along indiscriminately and soon give way to ideas that come across as disjointed. There are even strange folkish elements shoehorned in, feeling awkward and forced. While there was much worse being passed off as Black Metal around 1998, Inquisition did nothing here that bands like Horna and Maniac Butcher weren't already doing much better at the very same time.

Sometimes, one can judge a book by its cover. In this case, the cover of Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult features artwork clearly one by a retarded fifth-grader. That sort of captures the overall feeling of the album, thanks to the idiotic vocals, sup-par songwriting and tedious running time. Generic Black, Death and Thrash Metal are here combined in a haphazard manner to create a pathetic example of modern 'extreme metal'. That this band is still going and releasing albums today can only be a testament to the fact that most idiots will buy anything if they're told how evil and cult it is, regardless of its low quality. Dagon and his cohorts are either charlatans or comedians. Either way, avoid this farce.