Yearly Archives: 2013

This was the debut album by these Swedish black metal stalwarts. Now 20 years old, yes it has been that long! Listening to it over again brings back all of the feelings of the early 90’s style of music. This reissue has the original album plus some live tracks from 1991 and some early rehearsal recordings.

This album has a solid foundation. Ripping fast, thrash tinged black metal broken down with almost death metal style slower sections. This all tied together with mid range hoarse screamed vocals that have that faint echo effect which is a great touch. Take ‘The Sun Turns Black As Night’ with it’s chaotic fast ripping opening that breaks into a more death metal sinister plod. A section of guitar melody builds to machine gun drumming and a trad black metal guitar lead. Then you have ‘Within The Abyss’ that starts slow and brooding, menacing in feel only to break into a more traditional black metal pace. This once again turns down a few notches with a sinister...

Finland is no stranger to either black or death metal with the country's burgeoning 80's and 90's scene having produced genre titans in regards to both, baring the weight of bands such as Beherit, Barathrum, Demilich, Convulse & Demigod who later left the black metal torch (at least) to be carried by the mighty Horna, Baptism & Behexen among others. Indeed the onslaught continues into 21st century and the last few years in particular has borne witness to the reformation of Purtenance, the announcement of Convulse's first release in just short of 20 years being put out at the beginning of 2013 along with reissues from Abhorrence and Depravity. Not only this but we see a consistent introduction of new blood and formulation of upcoming contenders to the throne. One of these upcomers is Maveth. Releasing their 2012 debut full-length through Dark Descent Records, "Coils of the Black Earth" is a near hour long onslaught of filthy blackened death metal, worshipping at the altar of Incantation...