A seriously hard album man!!! Not as good as The Return but there's all sorts of evil here to satisfy. Both albums are an inspiration to most black metal bands presently out there. Not as harsh as The Return, a bit more refined but not by much. Here's the blow by blow acount of this mighty disc :

Noctural Obeisance - Cool atmospheric opener, sort of the calm before the storm
Massacre - HOLY FUCK!!! Quite possibly the heaviest Bathory tune ever (It's definitely my favourite tune). So fast and totally slaughtering. Apt title to say the least.
Woman Of Dark Desires - A relaxing tune after the beating incurred from the previous track, has some haunted house keys which are kinda cool.
Call From The Grave - I totally dig the beginning of this song (fitting for graveyard ghouls). Slowish and heavy with Quorthon sounding more tortured than ever.
Equimanthorn - Fucking speed aplenty, sort of sounds like 'Possessed' from The Return until it slows down for a breather then back to the speedfest.
Enter The Eternal Fire - Mid paced, almost like a metallic march towards Hell's domain. Morbidly glorious.
Chariots Of Fire - Back to more of the trademark Bathory bashing speed assault. Not particularily fond of this track though I'm a bit of a speedfreak.
13 Candles - Cool title but I don't like this song due to the chorus and it just plodding along. Sung in a lame-o voice.
Of Doom - Finishing off with a fast menacing one (the entire album alternates in speed with each song).

To me The Return is a 10 and this album would finish not that far behind it, with a 8.5

© 1999 malphas