Band: Truppensturm
Title: Salute To The Iron Emperors
Label: Ván Records
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx
Release date: 04/10/2010
Review: CD

One-man army Truppensturm, originally founded as Sturmtruppen, are the brainchild of mister Rimburg, known from defunct Black Attack band Heemat and Black (Funeral) Doom project Abusus. Being helped out by session musicians as Alexander Von Meilenwald (The Ruins Of Beverast, Abusus, Nagelfar, Heemat) and Weigand (Heemat, Kermania), Rimburg recorded this album, about three years after the world-shocking release Fields Of Devastation, with Gnarl (Verdunkeln, Graupel) behind the knobs. And the result is a shocking beauty again.

Opening incantation “Obliteration Of All Beings” starts with a Cold Meat Industry-oriented intro, yet soon this song shows Truppensturm’s true face. And it’s an ugly one! What Truppensturm bring is a nasty, mean motherf*ckin’ form of Death / Black Metal with a warlike approach and a dirty underground sound. The latter unfortunately sounds somewhat clumsy; ‘underground’ is taken too literally here, I’m afraid. The songs are somewhat industrialised and the main tempo is rather fast, even though speed isn’t the ultimate goal. Chaos and violence are the final solution. Most tempos and ‘melodies’ might sound alike, yet the whole succeeds to maintain a high level whole the time. And if ignoring the sound, I can enjoy this for hours, time after time. Salute To The Emperors combines a martial spirit with uncompromising song writing, bringing back the late eighties and early nineties to mind. No-nonsense material, played with anger and will, prepare for the Final War!

[FYI: the vinyl release comes with three extra bonus tracks]

86/100

Ivan Tibos.