To be the first
release from this newborn label and distro, nobody can deny they've
begun with the right foot. 10 tracks of Pure Italic Black Art drenched
in wickedness, dismal and warlike spirit, demolishing the standard boundaries
of raw fast Pagan Black metal in the shape of an original enough sound
matrix.
"Discovering Heathenism Through Pagan Pride" is the
intro, first mysterious and then backstabbing with its freezing and
evocative vocal parts, while a superb example of speedy and furious
Black metal is "Pseudo Monarchy of the Demons"; the
wonderful brutal vocal patterns will conquer you together with the majestic
and massive guitar lines; as if that weren't enough, here is a hyperfast
tom drumming with few keyboards in the background; occasional growls
and demonic vocals appear too, but it's the dynamic break standing out
to prepare for the crescendo final onslaught. The guitars are really
crushing and scratching, the fast-as-hell axe solo makes me go mental
before the arrival of the middle part, melodic yet very disquieting
at the same time. Useless to say this song raises hell no matter what
volume you're playing it at!
"Nightspell under a Funeral Moon" mixes harsh and symphonic
Black metal elements; even here the riff is as rapid as it's cool, and
the drum sounds crisp and hammering; there's also a impetuous time change
halfway bewteen Black and Death, anticipating spacial keyboards opening
a chasm in the sky and in the underlying ground; they'll make you travel
in time for such a lot of aeons and only a heartfelt guitar solo will
be your companion, both rocked by the bass lines. The concept of Pagan
Black metal is fully represented in "Ineffable Ode to a Heretical
Convivium", whose keyboards owe very much to Goblin and Lucio
Fulci's flicks atmospheres. You shall feel the fog wrapping your legs
and afterwards your legs, while a while later Valpurgis's screams will
lead you to the blaspheme banquet, of which the central riff is the
core of the Sabbath. The 2 hatchets here cut like sharpened sword blades
in ode to the god of war Mars; yeah, guys, that's definitely what I
like to call 'play Black Metal with Pagan pride'.
Through "Underground Hypostile of Darkness" it seems
clear the 5 demons are bringing us lower and lower, so as to reach the
deepest hellish rings in a journey without return, a place where God
has had the courage to put his feet into only once in his existence.
And now...it's time for another very high quality moment of the disc
opened by a scorching in-your-face shout; "Death to the Weak";
everyone take their hat off to Sigma Draconis for composing this pearl!
It leaves no doubts as to their social views, that is failure of a peaceful
coexistance amongst opposite cultures, religions, and ethnic groups.;
the differences are unbearable, the resources aren't enough, that means
that one species will prevail on another and nobody wants to belong
to the losing one. It's the same principle happening in Nature, and
this is what the world's oligarchy never talks about and doesn't want
you to think until it's too late. We should all be grateful to Sigma
for reminding us the end of mankind is near and this song contains all
the characteristics to represent this omen: gloomy, rife with epic prophetic
vocals in the foreground with the 2nd guitar busy with embroidering
after the lead has opened the way for that. The sound of the drums is
different here, yet quite well-chosen for a not too quick song, which
also requires a more complex drum work, with the keyboards following
its every move. A fierce headbanging is urged by a riff, and even better
the 2nd one, full of hatred with punishing vocals that will make you
feel as though they were knifing you from side to side, not to mention
the mind-boggling final acceleration; this is sheer war apocalyptical
Black metal!
"Winter of My Soul" starts quick at once with a rabid
guitar matched with the other, occupied with making up a twisted riffing;
later on, an absolutely worthy Black/Death riff entertains us before
the extremely unkind blast, in which 2 intermezzoes of magical Black
metal find a place, substained by a mesmerizing guitarwork; the surprises
don't end here though, since we have the pleasure to meet a break in
the sign of the purest 80's Death metal alà Dismember/Unleashed,
joined with Dark Funeralesque black screams, in a way reminiscent
of Swedish masters Dissection. There's still time for the unexpected
by a bridled passage before the nth blast with unmerciful shrieks. Wholly
unlike is the beginning of "Visions of the Holocaust in a Landscape
Buried by Time", atmospherical and bucolic, even including
an acoustic guitar playing with the keyboards of Golgotha (who left
the band after the recording); nevertheless this doesn't last long,
for a sword is unsheathed and soon after hyperdistorted downtuned Death
guitars chainsaw all, during the slaughter caused by Janicot's double
bass, here sounding like a rain of granites. The rest of the song is
based on the contrast between screamed Black parts and symphonic interruptions;
the drum parts are tremendous and the time changes sometimes show no
mercy and some others are elegant and medieval; really a strange mix,
buit the thing is that's the only song that doesn't satisfy me 100%,
because after the final tom roll hymning to a bloody body-to-body fight,
I feel there should be more aggressiveness and not the same medieval
riff that just makes the tension go down. 
However, the following "We Are Legion" is another track
destined to make a slaughter live; I strongly appreciate the union between
vocal and drums; the sounds are top-notch and the mid-tempo kicks some
ass around and no-one's able to escape the terrorizing attack of the
final battle throat emissions, acoustic guitars on a harsh texture;
this is another kind of Black metal I've never heard before! The closure
is entrusted to "In the Fallen Gates of Oblivion",
the only track in Italian (and with howls); Valpurgis ain't got time
to waste and sums up all his creed with delay effected proclamations;
exactly like the opener, this song'll make your blood freeze in your
veins, deignly sealing the end of this 54-minute-CD.
Keeping in mind that Sigma Draconis sell this long CD, enriched with
professional artwork, layout, recording at Fear Studios and so on with
nothing to envy more popular bands, at only 7 Euros (almost a gift!!!),
it's crystal-clear that you must be stupid beyond any imagination not
to get hold of a copy. We gonna hear about them again and I'm dying
to listen to their new material. In the meantime, thank you all guys
very fucking much for showing us the beauty of battle and the true face
of hell on earth.
MARKUS GANZHERRLICH - 12/3/04