Danes SLAEGT are back with their new, full length opus number four. These guys have been around more than a decade and this new one represents the current state of the band playing a rather progressive version of black death metal with some thrash metal guitar solos here and there that sound fantastic. Blast beats are smartly thrown in, the whole songwriting capabilities of Slaegt are impressive, because although guitar work may sound a bit chaotic and dissonant upon first listening, as you delve deeper into the songs of this opus, you realize the greatness you are witnessing. I love stop and go aggression of Kiss from a Knife, but one can not mistake old school metal influences in my personal favorite Hunt Again. I also love above all the title song being so epic that I listened to it over and over again. Vocals tell another story, from death metal growls to some black metal screaming, those vary depending on song atmosphere and need. This album has a perfect might to enter your mind and make you hungry bloodthirsty beasts, but also to satisfy your emotions and calm your blackened old metal heart. Good one indeed.
Swedish black metal legends Dark Funeral are soon celebrating thirty years of existence in the scene led by their guitarist Lord Ahriman, the only founding member still in the band after all these years and driving force behind their black metal machine. This is Dark Funeral´s seventh full length opus and it contains nine songs of fantastic melodic black metal. Although I love the legendary old material, this band is like fine wine, their albums in my opinion get better and better with years. This album totally reminded me of one of my favorite bands Dissection and the hole they left when Jon Nodtveidt left this world. Now, no despair anymore, Dark Funeral deliver their music so mighty and strong, there is no fear the hole will be still here. This is melodic black metal par excellence and a lesson how it should be done. Although fast songs with blast beats and thrash influenced drum parts are my favorites like Nightfall or When Our Vengeance Is Done, the slower heavy hitters like Let The Devil In are the treasure of this opus, being anthems that hit you straight into your black heart. Heljarmadr´s vocals are superb, you can make out the lyrics but they are aggressive and he is for sure one of my favorite black metal vocalists in the scene. Go get this one, you will not be sorry.
KRAYKULLA-WEBZINE 