Once again I have the honor / the opportunity / the task to write a review on a Polish Death Metal recording, and okay, Poland is one of the most influential, inspirational and impressing countries when talking about ‘pure’ and ‘technical’ Death Metal, but I am sort of satisfied (going for both the positive as well as the negative definition of this description) by the overcrowded scene. That’s why I was sort of skeptical when listening to this album for the first time.
Mories is the ‘artist name’ of Maurice de Jong, which is one of the most grim-thinking Dutch guys within the sonic netherworlds. He’s known from tens of solo-outfits and a couple of collaborations, with Gnaw Their Tongues, De Magia Veterum, Aderlating and Seirom being the best known ones, I think. Under the moniker of Cloak Of Altering, he did record and release some very impressive stuff before too.
In order to promote this somewhat underestimated split-release, I will try to give it some additional promotion, because There’s Never Silence In The Mist deserves this. And so does Satanath Records.
I first wanted to introduce this band as a side-project of Dreadlord, but actually they are both so differing from each other, so that I will not do so. Besides, Satanic Assault Division are quite active, in contradiction to Dreadlord lately, which would be denigrating for Satanic Assault Division. Anyway, these Danish guys return with their second album, a year and a half after March To Victory.
Once again I will take care of an ‘old’ album, because that’s my way of showing gratitude to a label that cares about music and bands rather than money (though I am sure each single album they will sell, maybe because of this review (?), might be welcomes with open arms; and why not anyway). No, seriously, Aesthetic Death were so kind to offer me this debut of Dutch formation Ortega as part of a hugely interesting parcel, so there is no reason why not to write at least some words about it.
Norse, hailing from New South Wales (Australia), will celebrate their tenth anniversary this year, but before this party, there’s another reason to celebrate: their newest epos, called Pest, and released this time via India-based Transcending Obscurity, one of the most professional and devoted labels I came in touch with lately.
With a lyrical concept based on the cycle of seasons, Galar return with De Gjenlevende, their third album, which was recorded mainly at the (underestimated) Conclave & Earshot Studio with Bjørnar E. Nilsen (think: Taake, Vulture Industries, Dead To This World, Helheim, Byfrost and many more). Still based on the duo M. Kristiansen (harsh vocals, guitars and bass) and A.B.
Fortid originally hail from Iceland. They were formed as one-man outfit in 2002 by Einar Thorberg Guðmundsson ‘Eldur’ (think: Potentiam, Curse, Thule, and recently also in Den Saakaldte or Midnattsvrede).
It is (almost) always nice to receive unexpected material by a band of a label with the question if undersigned is interested in doing a review for their stuff. Sometimes it’s rather a task, a heavy weight to accept, then again there are hidden treasures that suddenly appear and that do deserve my full attention. And sometimes it is somewhere in between a blessing and a curse.
Chaos Altar are a one-man project by a guy called Executor, formed after the demise of Nir’um’Tuk. Since I never heard the sole EP by Nir’um’Tuk, I can’t compare both projects, but I am pretty sure Chaos Altar can be called the logical successor. As a matter of fact, the lyrics have been written once again by Asphodel, who did the very same for the Nir’um’Tuk-EP.
