It is 1987 and you are listening to Mayhem, no it’s 2001 and you are listening to Black Dawn. This is “True Black Metal” according to the band, and one must “only listen to during self-mutilation.” Now that all the obvious Mayhem comparisons are out of the way, what’s left? Musically they sound like early Mayhem, no surprise there, with lots of sound samples inserted. Some of the samples work, others are annoyingly long (up to a minute and a half). The music is mostly fast paced and when they slow down it is only relatively speaking and only for a few seconds at a time. The vocals are of the shouted, not shrieked, black style, and done effectively, if not memorably.

There is nothing original about the band or their sound and no particularly memorable songs grace this cd, but what stands out is the quality of the recording. Finally an obscure “underground” band that does not think you need abysmal production values to be “true black metal.” Track nine, “When the Shadows Become Flesh” is a departure in style from the rest. It is a minute long interlude that sounds like being underwater in a submarine. Track ten, “Within Ye Woods, Before Ye Throne” offers the most diversity. Vocal overdubs work well here, giving a sort of evil chorus effect. Unfortunately, the song ends with another lengthy sound sample. Blood for Satan is a well played, well produced slab of black metal that will please many fans, but not those fans in the hunt for originality.

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