Norway has never been short of black metal bands. I read somewhere a few years back that, according to some study, almost 2% of the country’s entire population belongs to a black metal band. Whether that’s actually true remains to be officially verified, though it’d be cool if it was. In any event, Tsjuder remains one of Norway’s prized disciples of the black arts, a band that has been tearing the world asunder for fifteen or so years.

On the heels of 2011’s ferocious Legion Helvete, label Season of Mist thought it a good idea to reissue one of Tsjuder’s earlier creations Desert Northern Hell. Originally released in 2004, the band’s third full-length is as vicious as ever on the reissue. In fact, the sound is virtually identical as it was almost a decade ago, but SoM was kind enough to tack on a quartet of four live songs as well as the Norwegian Apocalypse DVD from 2006 (though I didn’t receive said DVD for this review…bummer).

The album itself still scorches with nasty songs like opener “Malignant Coronation”, the slower, crushing “Ghoul”, the awesome “Unholy Paragon” a kickass cover of Bathory’s “Sacrifice” and highlight “Helvete”. The only real drawback to the songs is that some of them are a little too similar to one another when the trio blasts away at blistering speeds, an Achilles’ heel of the vast majority of BM bands. Time hasn’t changed this take on Desert Northern Hell.

In all, Desert Northern Hell is an album that should have always been in the collection of any fiend of black metal. If you are reading this and haven’t yet jammed to this wicked little beast, scoop it up. Tsjuder’s thrashy brand of black metal is a welcome treat to those tired of the noisy “kvlt” kids or the horrendous Cascadian trend that unfortunately has ballooned like Aretha Franklin’s waistline.

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