Watain
Rabid Death's Curse
[Drakkar]


Along with Craft, Shining and Ofermord, probably the final remnants of hope in the Swedish scene. This is roughly 40 minutes of blasting black/death with clear Mayhem influence and very little variety, following the thunderous pace and frequent ambient interjections formula from the 7" with some improved structure and more thoughtful riffing. The band is formidable enough at what they do and the music is harsh and aggressive, although this isn't something I play on a frequent basis. The vocals could be more powerful and cruel sounding, the production has a traditional dirt sound which is good enough but not quite solid for the music yet, and I'd enjoy seeing something a bit more innovative from a group that is clearly on the right track. There's a lot of potential here and I hope Watain pull themselves a little further away from Marduk and Dissection (fuck that latter band especially) and realize it.

The opening track "Limb Crucifix" slays, and "Life Dethroned" and "On Horns Impaled" are some real rocking and thrashing songs. No intros or outros here and overall very straightforward.

The vinyl comes with a good cover of Sabbat's (Japanese) "Curdle the Blood."


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