DEATHHAMMER: "Onward to the Pits"

To hell with thrash metal, I tend to think, but every now and then I have to take those words back when some group unleashes a mammoth of ass kicking thrash with hues of black metal. It doesn't happen often, but Deathhammer's Onward to the Pits is one of these cases that simply stun you with fiery riffing and sharp production.

In essence, there's nothing fancy about Onward to the Pits: this is infuenced by the likes of Sodom, basically meaning old school blackened thrash. ”Deathrashing Sacrifice” kicks in the album with riffs of insane velocity with competent blasting behind, well continued in the follow-up ”Voodoo Rites”. The third piece, ”Fullmoon Sorcery”, could have appeared on the Bathory debut, while ”Emperor of Sin” crawls in funereal mid-tempo pacing in its beginning, a theme further explored in various other parts of the album as well. There's no need to delve any further into individual moments: by now you know what you're in. One element that does deserve a mention is the vocalist who spews some unhinged semi-clean wails every now and then when he's no performing the more traditional rasps. This is one of the features that makes the album distinguish itself from the masses of similar acts.

Onward to the Pits isn't something I'd listen to in every occasion, but for the times when your metal doesn't necessarily have to dwell in deeply philosophical substance, and there might be even some alcoholic beverages in proximity, this record could be a perfect soundtrack for that moment. Onward to the pits indeed, and to hell we're certainly going with this infernal blasphemy.

3.5 / 5

THORNIUM: "Dominions of the Eclipse"

The nineties of Scandinavian black metal are often hailed in the names of just a handful of influential records, and deservedly so, but a more profound look into the supply of those times reveals a goldmine of other worthwhile albums. Thornium, who? Exactly. I remember hearing, and disliking, their 2010 album Fides Luciferius, a real turd of modernized soulless black metal, but I wouldn't have guessed what a gem the same band had crafted fifteen years earlier. Dominions of the Eclipse, the debut, is everything that the band's reincarnation is not: tasteful, and authentically evoking auras of hate as well as of magical northern woodlands.

I'm sure there are reasons why this album never made it as high as their country mates. Primarily, the reason might reside in the album's very static production: the sharp guitar lines have no dynamics whatsoever, and the whole soundscape is stripped off of any ornamentations. It is about tremolo guitars, stable (almost crazily stable) blast beats, hate-filled traditional vocals and the occasional keyboard atmospheres. Initially, there was next to nothing that impressed me, but repeated listens have thankfully showed the album's greatness. Many of the riffs, seemingly stale at first, reveal signs of ingenuity that challenge some of Veles' and early Satyricon's ideas. Listen to the acoustic breakdowns of ”Emperor of the Carpathians” or the otherwordly intro to ”De Som Pesten Drapte”. Or the hypnotizing touch of the folkier ”Slottet I Skuggornas Morker”.

What comes to the recent reissue of the album, I would have preferred to have the great concise album as it originally was. The ambient outro ”Förmörkelsens Herravälde” is a 2011 remake, and next up are two other newly recorded bonus songs, and quite a leap backwards they are form the album: pushed, compressed modern sound hits the listener's ears, and at least yours truly starts losing interest after a few seconds. As a compensation, the band's early demo North Storms of the Bestial Goatsign is added to the end, bringing back the 'good old spirit' with natural, rehearsal atmosphere that revels in so much more feeling and atmosphere than the interruptive, contrived new recordings.

Dominions of the Eclipse is definitely a recommendable album for anyone interested in looking a bit further through the facade of the most predictable essentials. It is an enjoyable glimpse to another time when the whole notion of black metal wasn't yet so refined, and didn't include any unnecessary gimmicks. As for what Thornium did musically after this album, I wouldn't step on those grounds at all. What you've got here is a good though largely forgotten album from the pages of black metal's history.

4 / 5

HORN OF THE RHINO: "Grengus"

Although my primary musical interests lie in other styles than doom or sludge, there's one particular Czech record label whose output I've had the pleasure to follow, and through which I've come across plenty worthwile discoveries. Released via Doomentia Records, Grengus – an album title whose phonological properties already hint at the actual music – grumbles and rumbles effeciently in the currents of death, doom and sludge under the appellation Horn of the Rhino.

Fundamentally, Grengus is mid-paced, grooving and muddy. A key feature is the heavy guitar tone, as well as the well-pummeled, energetic rhythm section. Much of the album's power resides in the crushing production, and this is also what become's Grengus' hindrance: it sounds good, but I don't hear much longevity in the compositions themselves, no matter how deftly played. Vocals snarl and stretch around the style of Mastodon, and while I enjoy their appearance in the aforementioned band, I have a trouble with other bands singing in this vein. It's bearable, but some low-pitched grunting would have fitted here very well, too. I do like how the vocals change into a Black Sabbath esque clean style on the self-titled track, though. The foreboding and lengthy ”Brought Back” must be the highlight, being perhaps the only track during which I'm really listening carefully and waiting for what ever might happen next.

In its genre, and among the fans of it, Grengus is probably a lot better than I am letting you believe, but it's about apples and oranges really. You enjoy sludge and doom? I suggest to check this out. You do not enjoy sludge and doom? No business for you here. I'm not entirely leaning towards the latter category, however, and can appreciate various features of Grengus, even if I wouldn't say it's an exceptional album in any way.

3 / 5

PANTHEON OF BLOOD: "Consociatio Solis et Lunae"

Profound black metal isn't ever easy to tackle. When you've got your average norsecore albums under analysis, the review of the content can remain on the level of how instruments are played, what's the production like, and maybe a comment on overall atmosphere. But approaching a band like Pantheon of Blood on the level of mere superficialities, like those above, seems redundant: the message conveyed here is of such importance that you can't really circumvent it. Many worthwile albums may pass under your radar as you don't delve into their lyrical potential, but in the case of Consociatio Solis et Lunae, the profoundness is easy to notice: the artwork alone suggests that there's something more to it than just a couple of guys playing black metuuhl.

But first we may still be interested in the shallower side of things (which isn't purposeless either): the music. Comparing this to the 2010 demo, there hasn't been any crucial changes. Powerful underground black metal in varying tempos with a heap of Finnish spirit that you may come across in bands like Funerary Bell and Blood Red Fog. Overall eeriness is conflated with a touch of both melancholy and hope. And like on the previous effort, Pantheon of Blood succeeds here very, very well. The way the raging riffs develop into the wailing beauty on ”Overflowing Manifestation” is mesmerizing with all the clean plucking and orotund male vocals. While this track follows a rather general, yet tasty, way of composing black metal in its country, ”The Crimson Empress of Night” brings in a combination of plentiful mysteriousness and a pummeling rhythm section. The overall mood here nods towards a death metalish atmosphere, though otherwise that reference does not apply.

What I personally enjoy here to a great extent is how the music projects the lyrical, symbolic side of the record. Obviously, the contrasting principles of sun and moon / light and darkness / day and night / male and female / et cetera are at play here. The bright, vivid sounds on ”Overflowing Manifestation” reflect the side of the Sun. Lyrically, this is evident in the ”gleaming faces” and ”blazes of lightning falling from Heaven”, as well as in the hyperbolic reverence: ”Pure immanence, of immaculate radiance / Crowned with gold, endowed with the sight of countless eyes”. Cyclicality is explored here too, intertwining the second track to the first, as both sides are necessary in the universe: ”Into His loving embrace / The birds of night return / Only to burst out again”. The side B track ”The Crimson Empress of Night” is the darkness, the magic. The one who veils the hidden knowledge, and the one whose madness and evilness one must look through to see that there ”the jewel of Wisdom shines”.

Being a concise (almost too brief, though) package, and having such a well explored theme, Consociatio Solis et Lunae is like a ritual, no matter how clichéd that sounds. I can not say it's a record that has the most mindblowing musical content ever, but the high level of quality is definitely there, hence deserving good ratings. Coming in sturdy gatefold covers that are beautifully illustrated, the EP should not be overlooked.

4 / 5

Return

Just a quick post: I'm slowly getting back on track with Vehement Conjuration as the most time-consuming tasks are finally behind, so you should see reviews appearing every now and then. It is about time to return to explore the depths of the black arts once again.

- Vehemency