Monstraat - The One Eternal

MONSTRAAT - The One Eternal (FALLEN TEMPLE - CD 2015)

So, Monstraat is back with their newest recording! Awesome! I really enjoyed their previous release, which was a debut full length “Monstraat”, so my expectations towards this new EP were quite high. And luckily the band met them with no problems. “The One Eternal” is great kick in the face and black metal contamination that will make your ears bleed and I am sure that all fanatics of the primeval, raw sound shall worship this EP also. I can just promise that it sounds damn good and solid, all four tracks here are fine examples of how black metal sounded like back in the early / mid 90’s and what is its pure essence, not infected by some external and unnecessary influences.

I suppose if I mention one certain Norwegian band as a comparison, when describing the style of Monstraat, then it should be enough for you to recognize how is “The One Eternal” sounding like. And I am talking here about Darkthrone and their early classic offerings! Monstraat style has a lot of similarities to such LPs as “Panzerfaust”, “Total Death”, “Ravishing Grimness” and “Plaguewielder”. And damn, I love it. You know… Darkthrone is fuckin no more for me, since three or four records, this band has dumped themselves into rubbish and sorry to say, but I stopped buying their albums after “The Cult Is Alive”. But who cares, if there’re still some other bands, which do what Darkthrone was doing previously and do so in such a great style. I mean, I can mention many bands, such as Craft, Urgehal, Pest (Swe), Armagedda… And of course also Monstraat! And it’s enough for me. “The One Eternal” is as good as any records of those other bands, so this is why I recommend it so much and think it’s a necessary addition to the black metal collections.

Among these four tracks, I like the first two the most, maybe because I just love this slower, cold and fuckin ghastly black metal, with quite catchy and memorable riffage and freezing, inhuman aura. And both of these tracks offer such riffs here and there. But Monstraat often breaks the speed and fastens up… And later in such “Voidlike Sky” it’s just all about being that simple, raw and fuckin fast grim black metal crusher. I know you can moan that it’s so primitive and that it’s basically one or two repetitive riffs through the whole song, but this is what it’s about I suppose, about creating this hateful, cold atmosphere. And such riffage and simple song structure works here the best. More so, I need to mention that the production is great. It seems harsh and primitive, but it’s also powerful and all instruments are well audible. It’s just bloody good sounding raw black metal.

So, this is all I have to say about Monstraat and “The One Eternal”. Four songs EP, damn good stuff… Limited to 300 copies, it should go quick.

Standout track: “Unchained”

Final rate: 75/100