Mortiis - Født til å herske (1993, Malicious Records)

Track List:

1. Født til å herske, Part I
2. Født til å herske, Part II

After serving as bass player for Norwegian black metal legends Emperor between 1991 and 1992, during which time he appeared on the Wrath of the Tyrant demo and self-titled EP, Mortiis (a.k.a. Håvard Ellefsen) decided to up sticks and go it alone with his own self-named solo project; donning the infamous troll mask and abandoning his previous metal leanings to instead produce a style of ethereal ambient he branded "dark dungeon music".

Født til å herske (translated from Norwegian as "Born to Rule") marked Mortiis' first full-length release; a sombre journey of dark, brooding soundscapes split over the course of two tracks each approaching the thirty minute mark. While this may at first seem like a recipe for over-simplicity and endless repetition as can often be the case with many ambient works, what Mortiis manages to create is nothing short of a masterpiece of medieval imagery and atmosphere as each half-hour tracks winds its way onwards through fantastical lands of densely forested valleys, fetid swamps, monolithic towers and foreboding castles through a gradual building and development of various core thematic elements and sonic motifs.

The main stumbling block for many when first encountering Født til å herske is the sound of the instrumentation itself. It's important to remember that Mortiis was working with a very limited budget at this early stage of his career, and subsequently pretty much the entire album is composed with relatively cheap keyboards which can at times feel slightly cheesy upon first listen. That said, Født til å herske is executed a hell of a lot better than the infamous first keyboard-only Burzum album Dauði Baldrs which at times borders on the hilarious. Unlike Varg's ill-considered synth patches like that awful saxophone on the first track, Mortiis manages to utilise only sounds which actually complement the medieval atmosphere he's trying to create, and this certainly goes a long way to overcome the shortcomings of the equipment he had access to at the time.

The album's two tracks themselves really work together as one long piece of music, and I can only assume the main reason for splitting them was to make the album fit onto two sides of a vinyl. Musically the entire experience is made up of extensive use of drones underlying a variety of mainly horn and string-based melodies ranging from epic to sorrowful in tone, interspersed with some ghostly interludes and ambiance. While the album is purely instrumental for the most part, the second half of Født til å herske does feature some limited vocal contributions from Mortiis himself, although these are heavily processed and really used more as an additional texture to the music than to delivery any actual lyrics. Along with these actual recorded vocals, track two also makes use of some Gregorian-chant type synths to enhance the atmosphere.

Despite containing absolutely no metal-related content whatsoever, Født til å herske is one of those ambient works inextricably linked to the black metal pantheon; not merely because of Mortiis' Emperor connection, but more so that the music here manages to evoke many of the same images, atmospheres and feelings of the early Norwegian scene, albeit through entirely different means. In particular, albums such as the earlier works of Burzum, Darkthrone, Satyricon and Ulver, along with Emperor themselves all resonate with the same aura of long-forgotten eras and realms of fantasy. It, along with the other "Era I" Mortiis albums, sits as a perfect companion piece to the harsh, abrasive metal produced by his contemporaries, and indeed full ambient pieces with similar atmospheric qualities can be found within several black metal albums of the period.

Født til å herske is absolutely essential listening for anybody interested in black metal, or indeed darker ambient music in general. Once you overcome the limitations of the equipment used in the production of this record, it is undoubtedly an absolute highlight in Mortiis' back catalogue and a true classic of dark ambient.

1349 - Revelations of the Black Flame (2009, Candlelight Records)

Track List:

1. Invocation

2. Serpentine Sibilance

3. Horns

4. Maggot Fetus... Teeth Like Thorns

5. Misanthropy

6. Uncreation

7. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

8. Solitude

9. At the Gate...

I think enough time has passed that it's time to make a proper analysis of 1349's much maligned Revelations of the Black Flame now that the dust has, for the most part, settled. Releasing an album as wildly experimental as this would have been a risk for any band, let alone one as associated with such a specific sound as 1349, and it must have been a surprise to no-one that such a strong backlash erupted when Revelations was unleashed and wasn't the Hellfire Part II blast-fest that everyone was hoping for.

Nevertheless, I must admit that I enjoyed Revelations when it came out, despite sounding nothing like I was expecting. Up until that point the band had been known as Norway's premiere purveyors of no-frills fast-as-fuck black metal, culminating in 2005's face-destroying opus Hellfire. Everyone knew that a new 1349 record meant wall-to-wall blastbeats and frenzied, icy riffing. Naturally therefore, the obvious thing for the band to do during their four year silence was to put together a record that completely deviated from this well-worn path of destruction and instead mix the abrasive black metal with creepy ambient soundscapes and droning experimental tracks. Unsurprisingly, many diehards were pissed.

Initially it seemed that many people were eager to lay the "blame" for Revelations of the Black Flame squarely at the feet of Tom G. Warrior of Celtic Frost fame, known all too well for his experimental tendencies and given a producer credit on the album. Certain similarities will be apparent to anyone familiar with Celtic Frost's 2006 album Monotheist, which had its own share of experimentation and refusal to stick one one consistent sound. However, Tom G. insisted on his own blog that he was merely present at times during the recording in an "advisory role", and that 1349 were dead-set themselves on the type of album they wanted to create. Regardless of whose "fault" Revelations is, the album was released and so it stands.

This record is most definitely one that demands listening to as one complete experience and there's a clear flow to the ordering of the tracks. Despite Revelations of the Black Flame's shortcomings, 1349 have managed to create probably the most convincingly hellish atmosphere I've heard on record. The opener "Invocation" is probably the most obvious example of this, beginning with a cacophony of terrified screaming that slowly dissipates into an unearthly, cavernous throb; like thousands of tormented souls being sucked down into a flaming abyss. Eventually out of the sulfurous haze a slow kick-snare drum pattern emerges alongside a decidedly uncharacteristic crushing riff like hammers beating against a giant anvil. Just when the speed picks up for a brief moment and you think you're back in classic 1349 territory, the band brings it all right back down and some of Ravn's best vocal work ever joins the maelstrom. Is it typical 1349? Absolutely not, but it is an incredibly well-executed and atmospheric piece, and in my opinion one of the album's highlights.

In terms of production the album has a fairly similar sound to Hellfire - beefed up from the earlier offerings while still maintaining that classic frozen black metal feel. The band are down a member since the departure of Tjalve several years earlier, but the guitars still sound as ferocious as ever. Ravn's vocals are improved somewhat since the previous album with a more venomous delivery behind them. For fans of 1349 an undoubted highlight of each record is always the relentless drumwork courtesy of the mighty Frost, and although the nature of Revelations means a tightening of the reins on a fair portion of the album, he's still allowed to go at full bone-shattering speed every so often (for instance the fastest and most traditionally 1349 track "Maggot Fetus... Teeth Like Thorns"). 

The first half of the album is really where the majority of the more classically 1349-sounding material is to be found (along with the first of several atmospheric interludes in the form of "Horns"), before things get really experimental following the climax of "Maggot Fetus". The following track "Misanthropy" is an odd combination of discordant piano and what sounds like the flickering of an old film projector that gives the feeling of some ancient silent horror movie. Both "Uncreation" and "At the Gate..." are an amalgamation of atmospheric ambiance with slow, droning guitarwork and minimalist drumming.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the whole album comes in the form of a cover of Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun". Yes, you read that correctly: a Pink Floyd cover. On a 1349 album. Somehow though, the band manage to pull it off and forge a genuinely creepy soundscape of buzzing guitar and bass noise, bizarre effects, plodding drums and hissed vocals that sound as if they're being sucked out of Ravn's lungs into endless space. The Celtic Frost/Monotheist influence is particularly clear on this one thanks to Tom G. Warrior's handling of guitar and bass duties, and at times there's an almost Sunn O)))-like feel to some of the drones employed.

While I've enjoyed Revelations of the Black Flame since release, it is admittedly a bit of a mixed bag and absolutely no surprise it garnered the reaction it did. The band could certainly have done with scaling back the ambiance and injecting a bit more furious black metal into the album, and in all likelihood it would have gone down a lot better than it did.

Gospel of the Horns - A Call to Arms (2002, Invictus Productions)

Track list:

1. Chaos Bringer

2. Absolute Power

3. Vengeance is Mine

4. Slaves

5. A Call to Arms

6. The Power of Darkness

7. The Trial of Mankind

I'd never heard of Gospel of the Horns until I saw them opening for Sodom during the German thrash masters' 2012 tour in London, but after being well and truly annihilated by their searing live show that night, I knew this was a band worth delving deeper into.

A Call to Arms is the first full length album from this Aussie horde, and despite the band forming way back in '93 wasn't recorded or released until 2002. With a total of seven tracks clocking in at just over half an hour's running time, Gospel of the Horns have produced a truly awesome slab of black/thrash mayhem. Despite being both contemporaries and fellow countrymen of perhaps Australia's most well-known blackened thrash band, Deströyer 666, Gospel certainly aren't content with being mere imitators, and have created a very distinct sound of their own.

In the world of blackened thrash, Gospel of the Horns have definitely stirred a bit more black than thrash into their bubbling cauldron of hate. Vocalist and bassist Mark Howitzer stands firmly at the front of the mix with his raspy growls, which despite their classic black metal leanings still manage to stay very clear and intelligible, actually enabling the listener to appreciate the lyrical content (fairly standard anti-Christian stuff for the most part, but well written nonetheless). Howitzer certainly has an instantly recognisable delivery and it's always a highlight of the band's output. His bass also cuts through the mix nicely and adds some real weight to the songs.

The grimy dual guitar attack of Marauder and Masochist is the other real high point of A Call to Arms, with a total filthy Hellhammer/Morbid Tales feel to them and plenty of old Sodom and Kreator thrown in for good measure. There are occasional solos dropped in here and there but nothing too indulgent to ruin the decidedly ferocious, evil atmosphere the band manage to forge with the rhythm work. Hellcunt's drums, while nothing technically impressive, are perfectly solid and workmanlike and drive the guitars forward alongside Howitzer's rumbling four-string assault. They certainly adhere to Fenriz' rule that black metal drums should just "be there".

In terms stand-out moments on the album, the opening track "Chaos Bringer" in an undoubted highlight; although let down a bit by a slightly pointless and generic opening ambiance of creepy sounds, rumbling thunder and air raid sirens, Howitzer's final demented howl of "CHAOS FUCKING BRINGER!" totally makes up for it. "Vengeance is Mine" is a staple of Gospel's live set thanks to its awesome shout-along chorus, and "Slaves", probably the most straightforwardly thrashy track on the album is also noteworthy with some memorable riffs and a distinct black 'n roll tinge that gives it a bit of a different feel to the rest of the album.

There is just one complaint I have about A Call to Arms: 32 minutes just isn't fucking long enough!

Immortal - Battles in the North (1995, Osmose Productions)

Track list:

1. Battles in the North

2. Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms

3. Descent into Eminent Silence

4. Throned by Blackstorms

5. Moonrise Fields of Sorrow

6. Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons

7. At the Stormy Gates of Mist

8. Through the Halls of Eternity

9. Circling Above in Time Before Time

10. Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)

I'll preface this review by saying that Battles In The North is probably my favourite album of all time, so apologies in advance for any excessive hyperbole. As far as I can tell, most people would insist that Immortal's best effort is 1993's Pure Holocaust, and while I'll admit that particular album is indeed a classic of early Norwegian black metal, Battles has always had the edge for me. I'm not entirely sure exactly what it is about this album, it just has some strange unquantifiable quality to it that I've never found replicated anywhere else. It simultaneously a quintessential black metal record, and a weird oddity that no other album can imitate, although I suppose it's possible to say that Battles In The North broadly sounds like a halfway point between its predecessor and the subsequent Blizzard Beasts record.

If I were to sum up Battles In The North in one word, it would be "chaotic". I maintain that the speed and riff-ery contained within this album sit at the most ridiculous levels Immortal ever reached, which is certainly saying something for a band famous for their insanely frenzied instrumentation, not to mention actually losing a band member to acute tendonitis thanks to too much hyperspeed tremolo picking (or maybe it was just poor technique - don't ruin the illusion). To use some classic black metal clichés, the whole album basically sounds like a relentless blizzard raging in the most grim and frostbitten mighty peaks and pagan moonforests Norway has to offer.

As with the previous album, the line-up of Battles In The North features only Abbath and Demonaz. Still in-between drummers, Abbath picks up the slack and handles vocals, bass and drums, leaving Demonaz to concentrate on guitars. I think it's fair to say that Abbath isn't the best drummer ever, and at times it sounds like he's really struggling to keep up with the relentless fury of this album. Indeed, many people's main complaint with Battles is that the drumming is way too sloppy, and in a way, they're right. However, in some bizarre way I think the sub-par drum performance is actually a large part of the essence of the album and helps give it its trademark feel. It's like there's a constant battle going on between the drums and the raging wall of guitar noise that's always on the verge of swallowing up Abbath's blasting completely in a hail of ice and fog.

Vocally, Abbath is on top form and at his most reptilian sounding, without too many of the Popeye-esque overtones present on albums like Damned In Black. It's certainly my favourite performance of his from any of the band's catalogue. Predictably for a mid-'90s black metal record the bass is pretty buried, although there is somewhat of an audible rumble present which follows the guitars for the most part. The production job on the whole is quite thin sounding, but not in a weak way. It serves every instrument (sans bass) well though, and the squall of guitar is truly colossal. Allegedly this album was originally released with a piss-poor production job before being hastily recalled and remixed into the form everyone knows, although I've never actually managed to find a sample of this original version nor anybody who's actually heard it in person.

The album as a whole is so frantic that for the first few listens it's pretty difficult to tell many of the tracks apart; the only real breaks coming in the form of a couple of clean interludes at the start of "Cursed Realms of the Winterdemons" and halfway through the closer "Blashyrkh (Mighty Ravendark)". That said, repeated listens really open things up and there are a lot of really fantastic, memorable riffs in here despite the speed at which everything is delivered. Highlights for me are the title track; "Grim and Frostbitten Kingdoms" and "Circling Above in Time Before Time". That said it's an album that really needs to be listened to as a whole, which is hardly much of a task considering its quality and meagre 35 minute running time.

All in all, an absolutely essential Norwegian black metal release.

The inaugural post

Welcome to Spectres Over Gorgoroth; a new metal and dark ambient review blog. The focus will mainly be on black metal and related sub-genres, and I'm aiming to cover both old classics along with new and more obscure releases. There'll probably also be some death and thrash creeping in every so often when the mood takes me. Enjoy.