Gorgoroth - Pentagram

GORGOROTH - Pentagram (EMBASSY - CD 1994 / AGONIA Records LP 2005)

It's been a while (few years actually), since I have listened to Gorgoroth for the last time, so this week I have a plan to go through some of their early records. And obviously first one to go has to be their insane debut album. When I listen to it today, it feels like going back in time for me. I think that the first time I heard it was somewhere around 1996, when I bought cassette. At that time I was more impressed with their second album actually, but the first one was also among my favourites in the collection. Oh, these were good days. Nowadays that atmosphere in black metal is long gone, but when I listen to "Pentagram' it gives a small memory of what it was all like. And it was better than anything else. 

"Pentagram" is probably the most malicious and possessed album among all Gorgoroth's efforts. Just by listening to these sick, mad screams of Hat, it gives me a feeling of something utterly evil and maniacal. That comes perfectly in hand with very harsh, cold, primitive black metal, which could be a fair companion to "Wrath of the Tyrant" or "Transilvanian Hunger". And when speaking of these particular recordings I don't need to speak of the simplistic nature of this music, its primitiveness, the most basic song structures or the rawness of the sound. If these things disturb you, then you have nothing to look for on "Pentagram". What amazes me personally the most on this album is the atmosphere, which has been created there. If you want to hear music, which would be cold, grim, hateful and malicious, then definitely this is a prime example. What I also like is that along with savage, vicious, aggressive, often fast riffs, there's some room for a bit more melodic parts or slower stuff, which gives more diversity, even a bite catchy or memorable music. On "Pentagram" you’ll find pure, hateful outbursts such as "Begravelsesnatt" (how many riffs are in this song? Two? Haha BUt it’s so so good anyway!) or "Katharinas bortgang", but there are also amazing, sometimes almost epic sounding anthems like "Crushing the Scepter (Regaining a Lost Dominion)" or my favourite piece "Måneskyggens slave", which is absolutely best song from this band ever. Gorgoroth really came with a whole lot of amazing riffs, which makes basically every song on this album a standout (even that killer instrumental piece "Huldrelokk"). I also really, really like the production (yes, it is from Grieghallen Studio), because it is raw, but clean enough to hear all riffs, instrumentation, with bass lines also perfectly. 

Soooo... We all know that Norwegian black metal in the 90's was something extraordinary. I won't even count how many amazing albums were recorded back then there. "Pentagram" is definitely among my favourites, let’s say it’s in the top 15, because it’s just damn impossible to pick just five best records from that era. 

Standout tracks: "Måneskyggens slave", “Ritual”, "Crushing the Scepter (Regaining a Lost Dominion)” 

Verdict: 95/100 

Lost Soul - Übermensch (Death of God)

LOST SOUL - Übermensch (Death of God) (OSMOSE Productions LP 2002)

It's been a long time since I've listened to anything from Lost Soul, indlucing their second LP "Übermensch (Death of God)". Which is a shame, because I nearly forgot how good this album is and how underrated it seems. Well, it's good opportunity then to wipe the dust off this vinyl and listen to it again, also presenting this record to you in form of this short review. It's been unleashed back in 2002, which a time, where death metal was slowly rising back to its greatness, after the not so impressive late 90's period. With albums such as "Übermensch (Death of God)", it again started to sound very exciting and interesting. And when I listen to this album now, I think that certainly it is one of the best Polish death metal albums ever recorded. Which has to mean something, if you know how strong the Polish scene is. 

Well, but not always "Übermensch (Death of God)" belonged to my favourites. At the time when it was released, it took me a while to appreciate it. I still remember that after few listens, I was a bit disappointed with it, mainly because I didn't like how Lost Soul incorporated keyboards into their sound. I thought it was only ruining this brutal and fast death metal album. Only later I got used to it and now I know that keyboards perfectly complement the dark and sinister (sometimes almost cosmic) atmosphere of the music. There's a lot of them (keyboards I mean), I don’t think you will be able to mention many other death metal albums, where keyboards would be so active. On one hand it can remind you Nocturnus a little, on the other, sometimes it can even remind you a black metal record. But the result is very good, especially when Lost Soul plays with the speed of light and their music becomes so relentless and vicious. And fast is the majority of "Übermensch (Death of God)", most of the songs blast with no remorse, like an unstoppable death machine or tornado, which destroys everything on its way. 

There are also few slower parts, which crush with great heaviness (like in the fantastic "Soul Hunger"), so diversity is another very strong aspect of "Übermensch (Death of God)". Riffs can often remind you not only Nocturnus, but also late Morbid Angel and... Well, I also have to mention Behemoth (“To the New Light!”). Already the first song "No Salvation" leave no doubt what are the biggest influences for Lost Soul. But everything here sounds spotless, I really like these songs, ideas and riffs, which Lost Soul came up with and also Jarek Grecki's vocals, who do sound a bit like Steve Tucker haha. Still, Lost Soul has enough identity and its own style to stand proud and strong, so I have no doubt that they’re one of the best Polish death metal bands and "Übermensch (Death of God)" is one of their better records. 

Standout tracks: “Soul Hunger”, “To the New Light!”, “Beast Rising” 

Verdict: 85/100 

Voidhanger - Working Class Misanthropy

VOIDHANGER - Working Class Misanthropy (PAGAN Records LP 2013)

Voidhanger is another Polish band, which I'm big fan of and which I can sincerely recommend to all those, who never have had a chance to hear their music. Believe me, there is a seriously killer and insanely strong black metal here. Well, if you're familiar with Infernal War, then you can probably imagine that these musicians know what they're doing (Zyklon and Warcrimer are members of both bands, with Priest from Massemord on drums for a complete line up). "Working Class Misanthropy" is Voidhanger's second album (released back in 2013) and it may be the strongest recording from the band, but that's not something what would even matter here, especially if all the stuff this band did is great. 

But this album is about 35 minutes of straight forward, pure and absolutely relentless black metal, which has this great old school feel, which would on one hand give you resemblances to the classics from the 80's like Venom, Bathory, Sodom or Celtic Frost. And on the other hand, Voidhanger updated it all, so this music doesn't sound so archaic, primitive and typical as it commonly could. For example, they speeded it up so much that your head will fall off from the headbanging and insane amount of infectious energy the music brings. Voidhanger often brings these classic sounding thrashing black metal parts, but with faster tempos, more aggressive and savage attitude, so the result is more unique. Uncompromising, intense sound will crush your speakers, but at the same time you will realize that the music is very infectious and memorable, with the traditional verse / chorus structure that allows you to memorize songs better. Through the whole album Voidhanger shows us great riffage, hooky parts, whole lot of diverse styles of classic extreme metal, even vocals of Warcrimer can differ, depending on what sort of song they play. He shows that especially in such song as “Dni szarańczy”, which has Polish lyrics, or the title song, where he sounds a bit like Tom Warrior. Actually, this song is also a good example for using old style (Celtic Frost’s or even Darkthrone’s riffage in this case) and blasting it off with no compromising style. 

The title song, “Scorpion” or “ilsa” are some of the most infectious tracks here, I really love also the vicious and straight forward character of “No Ground to Hold”, especially its opening theme, which sounds like Swedish death metal and the insanely fast chorus part, which is KILLER!!!! I can only recommend this album then, I dare to say that in this old school type of playing you won’t find many better bands, especially that Voidhanger is not a useless “cut ‘n’ paste” old riffs kind of band, with no skills at all. 

Standout tracks: “Ilsa”, “Scorpion”, “No Ground to Hold” 

Verdict: 85/100