By: Anders

Posted: Nov 30, 2005

This is the first and last full length from this Canadian black metal horde, as the band now has disbanded. Frankly speaking the album is consisting of the band's 2004 demo/EP re-mastered, plus a bonus track, and is no longer than 20 minutes, in my opinion that's a bit weak of a full length, considering the amount of material versus the price. With that aside we can now concentrate on the music, which is in the chaotic, militant and raw vein.

The compositions get their militant atmosphere from the programmed drums, which most of the time runs wild, with a punishing snare and kick drums going insane and crashing cymbals, even though the sound is artificial, it fits the cold universe of Sephyroth, and the militant slightly industrial feel is good. The double vocal assault is adding a hellish and dark atmosphere, a deep haunted vocal and a screamed to quite rasp, and on top of that a lot of reverb once in a while, it all creates an eerie and wicked atmosphere, inducing something disturbing and not from this world. The guitar work is raw and driving the music forward, though once in a while the riffs more or less drowns beneath the drums, and that is kind of a shame, due to them being pretty good, not that innovative, but more or less what there can be expected. They possess the coldness and wicked melodies from the old Norse scene and fits the rest well.

Wicked compositions that hooks their claws into the listener by the first listen, and keeps the interest in hooked. Extremely sick vocals, fitting the cold and dark universe of Sephyroth perfectly. Cold and raw guitars, blazing off riffs, and the manically drum machine from hell, adding the militant industrial sphere and makes the music reach something special. The sparse use of sound effects are also good, and if used some more it could have lifted the album a bit, though as it is, the different blasts etc. do work effectively. The most impressive thing about the material is the way the band are capable of moving their hate and disgust from the studio and onto the album and into the listener, that reveals good song writing and emphasis on the right things, and that is what makes this album good. The last track, the bonus track, is recorded with a real drummer, and that does actually work pretty well, the drumming is more diverse and more in the background, very good and the way the vocals are used on the track, makes it disturbing and a hard hitter. Sephyroth and this release is for sure a thing that should be checked out for fans of disturbing black metal, a bit besides the usual. The good artwork and packaging add a bit to the atmosphere as well, all there is missing are the lyrics though, but they can might be hunted down in another way.

Rating: 7/10

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