Cult misanthropic Slavonic Black Metal from the Carpathian mountains and the deep Underground of a Rivne region village in Ukraina. Raw atmospheric Nordic-influenced style with a very personal touch inspired by BURZUM, and early DARKTHRONE. A predominantly mid-paced, somewhat primitive and necro-ish execution with ringing distorted electric-guitar skirl and anguished grim vocals all contributing to the melancholy, utterly drepressive ['Post-Suicidal'] mood. MOLOCH's distinctive calibre of dark Pagan art elicits tangential, but positive comparisons to PEORDH, I SHALT BECOME, NAZGUL (Spain), and STRIBORG. The cosmic, delirium-inducing attack is even reminiscent of the classic "Dog's Blood Rising" by early CURRENT 93.
Other similar bands that come to mind include: BRANIKALD, WOODS OF INFINITY, ENTHRONING SILENCE, VINTERRIKET, the LEGION / PERUNWIT split, and/or early DODSFERD.
Unlike other Ukraine bands who defiantly reject Scandinavian culture, MOLOCH chooses to focus on Nordic and Teutonic influences such as Norse mythology and German literature. The majority of the tracks explore themes based on the Nine Worlds of Norse cosmology with titles such as "Svartalfaheimr", "Lyosalfaheimr", "Asaheimr", "Jotunheimr", "Helheimr", and "Vanaheimr".
Highly-recommended for diehard fanatics of cult Black Metal, and definitely for those who bravely ignore the dross and mediocrity of mainstream culture, in search of extreme emotion and grim aural sensibilities. This is the first MOLOCH release exclusively for and on BlackMetal.com Records, "Depression of Surtr" is also the band's first full-length album to be officially released on [Pro-Manufactured] 'REAL' CD (Not 'cdr'), an elite tour-de-force featuring many 'previously-unreleased' tracks, rarities, cover-versions of BURZUM and DARKTHRONE songs, and also includes a teaser for the next album "Der Schein des schwarzesten Schnees", to be released exclusively on BlackMetal.com Records in the very near future! (2009)
* TRACK-LIST:
01. Gates of Spiritual Vyrdin (0:57)
02. Ljosalfaheimr (4:56)
03. Svartalfaheimr (2:26)
04. Asaheimr (4:32)
05. Jotunheimr (2:57)
06. Helheimr (2:03)
07. Vanaheimr (1:07)
08. Elivagr (3:06)
09. Echoes of Nidd (3:42)
10. Depression of Surtr (5:05)
11. Die Alte Essenz Eine Enzwischen Toten Welt (5:29)
12. Sylgr Form Essence (6:09)
+ BONUS TRACKS:
13. Through Halo of Fire-Brands (7:24)
14. Through Halo of Fire-Brands(5:07)
15. Moonblood (3:52)
16. Hail Black Metal Krieg [Pt. II] (3:14)
17. Rotten Armful of Grey Thoughts (4:35)
18. En As I Dype Skogen *[DARKTHRONE cover-version] (3:26)
19. Illa Tidandi *[BURZUM cover-version] (1:43)
* Total playing-time = 72 minutes.
* Notes:
~ Track 11: Previously-unreleased track; for a forthcoming split-album with URUK HAI (Austria) in 2009.
~ Tracks 8, 9, 10, 12: Previously-unreleased tracks from 2008.
~ Track 16: taken from "Archives" 2008.
~ Track 1: taken from the forthcoming album "Der Schein des schwarzesten Schnees" ['Raw Depressive Black Metal'] on BlackMetal.com Records in 2009.
~ Track 19: Previously-unreleased [Remastered] version of a track from the "Verdandi" Demo in 2008.
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* Melancholy Association:
Autumn and Winter in poetry has often been associated with melancholy and depression. The possibilities of summer are gone, and the chill of frost is on the horizon. Skies turn grey, and people turn inward, both physically and mentally. German poet RAINER MARIA RILKE has expressed such sentiments in one of his most famous poems, 'Herbsttag (Autumn Day)', which reads in part:
"Wer jetzt kein Haus hat, baut sich keines mehr.
Wer jetzt allein ist, wird es lange bleiben,
wird wachen, lesen, lange Briefe schreiben
und wird in den Alleen hin und her
unruhig wandern, wenn die Bl�tter treiben."
Similar examples may be found in WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS' poem 'The Wild Swans at Coole', where the maturing season that the poet observes symbolically represents his own aging self. Like the natural world that he observes, he too has reached his prime and now must look forward to the inevitability of death. PAUL VERLAINE's 'Chanson d'Automne (Autumn Song)' is likewise characterized by strong, painful feelings of sorrow. --(by Pr.Sergiy, 2008)
Lengthy excellent review here
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