By: Anders

Posted: Jan 8, 2006

After some years of silence, this New Zealand band has returned to the world of mortals, with this new 3 track demo tape, spreading horror and evil and crushes whoever is brave enough to listen to it! The band is offering dark and slightly chaotic black metal, with a nice and disturbing edge to it.

There are 2 original tracks on the demo, 'Archenout's Return' and 'Vassafor', both a bit lengthy and dark offerings of cold and noisy guitar riffs, they are working on the listener all the time, forcing one to take stance, either it works well and induces the dark hateful atmosphere, or one is being pushed away by the wall of hate and frustration. The drumming is simple, yet effective dark and rambling, varied pretty good, going from mid-paced to slow paces to blasting once in a while, and offering a nice bottom and compliments the rest of the music very well. On 2 tracks the drumming is delivered by Martin Cavanagh of Dawn Of Azazel fame, on the last track, the self titled one, which was recorded back in 2001, D. Lomas delivers the drumming. The vocals are dark and eerie, a deep raspy scream, full of emotions and loathe, it possesses all that the music needs, to work on a higher level and make the experience whole.

This is good music, well-written and offering a good deal of emotions that the listener can relate to. The band has also been "discovered" so to say, the French label Drakkar has picked up Vassafor and has so far released this demo-tape, with Vassafor's first demo from 1997 as a bonus and are planning on releasing a 7" with the band as well, something I personally looks forward to! The cover "medley" of Darkthrone's 'Kathaarian Life Code' and 'Over Fjell Og Gjennom Torner' does induce fear and helplessness on the listener, a good effort and the 2 tracks are melted good together, with additional elements here and there, a good and interesting way to pay tribute on. This is quite treat for fans of the darker and more chaotic path of old school black metal, and I for one hope we will hear a lot more to Vassafor in the near future!

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