Ivan Tibos.

The Baltic countries are enormously underestimated when it comes to (Black) Metal, but there is a vivid scene out there with lots of excellent bands and projects. There are undeniable and pretty important parallels with the East-European (more specific: the Russian and Polish) and the Scandinavian (more specific: Finnish) scene, but there is something that characterises the sound from many records done in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. That is why I am (almost) always unhappily happy when I have the opportunity to listen to new stuff from out there.

Shroud Of The Heretic are a pretty young formation, formed in 2009 (Oregon-based, for your important information), and known for a pretty interesting demo, Boiled To Death. This demo was released on vinyl and CD, respectively via Blood Harvest and Craneo Negro (just like this release). In between that debut record and this new effort, Revelations In Alchemy, the band shared the stage with e.g.

Four-piece Maleficent Vigor (from the United States of Americanana) were formed about five-six years ago, and they (Danny, Mike, Steve and Darrel) have ‘the purpose to face their inner evil and spread their darksides to the unwashed masses’ (excerpt taken from the bio).

Germany’s impressive Extreme Metal label War Anthem Records and Baden-Württemberg-based Black Metal act Unlight recently joined forces in order to have this band’s sixth album released. It took quite some time, because the last album they did (Sulphurblooded, reviewed by colleague Tim; see update September 14^th 2010) dates from 2010. However, it does not imply a drastic change of style.

Blazej Kazimierz Adamczuk is a Polish multi-instrumentalist who used to be part of some of Poland’s most notorious bands, like Thunderbolt, Legacy Of Blood and Veles. At that time, he acted under the name Paimon. At the end of last decade, he moved over to Bergen, Norway, and he joined Dead To This World, a band formed by former Immortal-bassist Iscariah, as from now under his new artist name, Skyggen.

Swedish band Skogen return with their fourth full length, after Vittra, Svitjod and Eld, released respectively in 2009, 2011 and 2012 via Russia’s Frostcald Records, a small but underestimated label known for many excellent Black Metal releases.

Imprecations Of Black Chaos is a demonstrational recording by a pretty young band from new Zealand. It can be considered some kind of introduction to the upcoming split with Trepanation (another act from new Zealand), which will be done as well via Canada’s Vault Of Dried Bones.

Sweden’s Karnivore were initially formed in 2002 as Karneywar, and they recorded three interesting demos until the name-change a couple of years ago, as well as a first album, The Triumphant Khaoz. This album, however, wasn’t released until 2012 (under their new moniker), despite being finished in 2009. This delay had to do with the (sad) decease of long-time guitar player Patrik (f*cking cancer destroyed another life) and bad support (read: no decent label to take the opportunity to etc…).

I am always excited when Sepulchral Productions come up with a new release, and I try to follow them as much as possible. I often check their homepage to check out what is about to happen, but I was not aware this would happen. Suddenly they showed up with this split…

My first acquaintance with Al-Namrood was when I bought Kitab Al Awthan in 2012 (yes, I do still buy lots of stuff myself instead of downloading it; Metalzone’s logo, or at least one of their logos, is: ‘real metalheads buy hard copies’; if you do not want to f*ck up the scene completely, you need to get rid of your pathetic avarice and miserliness and [self-censorship…]).