Delving into this release just from the initial look at the cover, the imagery of the band members, logo etc,  I will admit, it is a bit different soundwise than expected. Nothing bad mind you, it’s just going in, I was expecting a cold, speed assault similar to Marduk and their brethren but what I’m hearing is a bit of Watain darkness, a touch of Hammerheart era Bathory epicness and a smidge of Ragnarok. With the band hailing from from Uppsala Sweden, they obviously have some sounds of their more notable contemporaries.

On the first few listens, the sound seemed to be a bit more folk inspired, “The Darkness of Eternity”, being a prime example. This song has that guitar melody that is catchy as hell, with vocalist Nekhrid, shouting in a dark roar in a sort of anti melodic contrast to the guitar. Those melodic guitar riffs permeate the album at different times and it’s these, that  gave me that initial thought. The song, “Deathless Serpent”, is where the Watain light shines the brightest, maybe a bit too much tho, you could be forgiven to think it was a hidden track off Lawless Darkness.

As I listened further, delving more and more into the songs, I began to get a sense of the darkness and the overall black energy that is also part of the band, together with their more melodic epicness that is very much part of them also. “Decretion At Eschaton” has that Ragnarok vibe I mentioned with the more pummeling drums and some air raids sirens thrown in the mix but at about the final ¾ of the song this background chanting gives back that epic feel again. The song “Rite of Repugnant Fury”, really has a cool quasi epic Bathory aura, with the chants and the general dynamic of the song.

The band is definitely not shy about their music, with this being the sixth release since their formation in 2013 and with the running time being a hour a long it could be a bit daunting to some. They really pack in the riffs and maybe a bit of tightening of the song structure to be more concise and thus give more of a razor cut, than the overall bludgeon of the hammer that is their current sound. The songs are not boring by any means and each song offers different moods and tempos, mini epics in their own rights. Although some songs convey this better than others.

Great Production, good musicianship from all members, a nod to the drummer Cosmarul for giving a interesting performance and although vocalist Nekhrid is a bit one dimensional, his style does fit the songs, also like the interplay between the guitars. Non Serviam Records always have some quality and a tad different releases and this is no different.

 

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