Carpathian Forest
Through Chasm, Caves and Titan Woods
[Avantgarde]


This is actually a mini-CD, but before I start reviewing it, I'd just like to say that in my humble opinion, CARPATHIAN FOREST are the BEST Norwegian Black Metal band alongside DARKTHRONE. CF have managed to remain faithfull to their roots for years, and I think they certainly deserve all the respect from true Black Metal connoisseurs.

Onto the MCD, I'll go through it track by track:

1. "Carpathian Forest"
This song starts everything in a grim fashion. Darkthronesque guitar-riffs, hellish drums and unbelievably evil vocals combined with vile and desolate sound-quality. This is what Black Metal is and should be all about! Forget all fancy shit, this is total NECRO-WAR!!!

2. "The Pale Mist Hovers Towards the Nightly Shores"
The song starts pretty much in the same way as the first attack, but this time, one hell of a guitar-riff breaks in towards the middle! It comes so fucking abruptly, it's incredible! Natterfrost's grim vocals add to the overall darkness of the whole thing, and what you get is hatred in it's purest form! Brilliant.

3. "The Eclipse/The Raven"
The lyrics on this one are from a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. CF show their more melancholic side here. Natterfrost's vocals (slightly reminiscent to Varg Vikernes' screams) are delivered in such a painful way, one can only hark in awe while thinking from what black soul they emerged. There are no drums on this one. Only a simple, yet effective acoustic guitar-melody bringing forth such nostalgia and sadness...amazing.

4. "When A Thousand Moon Have Circled"
Here it gets ugly again. Evil rasps, infernal riffing and drumming that can be only classified as "necro-pounding". It's so simplistic and raw, yet so effective. WAR!!

5. "Journey Through the Cold Moors of Svarttjern"
This is probably one of the most epic Black Metal tracks ever made! This one is really hard to describe. A great main guitar-riff is pursued during the whole length of the song. When Natterfrost's screams break in, the whole effect is multiplied by 100! The drums burst in at the same time, but remain very simplistic throughout the whole song. This whole thing once again prooves that technical riffs do NOT necessarily mean brilliance, because its simple ones as these that are the most effective! This song simply kills! The whole thing stops towards the end, when an incredible synth-melody breaks in, followed by agonizing screams from the vocalist. The effect is stunning! CF proove that synths can be used to create obscure atmospheres without bothering the overall feeling at all. The lyrics for this song are also among the best I've seen for a long time!

This MCD is a MUST for every self-respecting Black Metaller! Utter brilliance. As CF put it in the booklet: "Black Symphonic Laments and Hymns". Trend-crushing for sure! TOTAL HATRED!! Norwegian Black Metal elite.

9.5/10


© 2000 naargrim