Released only one year after the terrible & so great "Ad Maiorem...", this 4th LP by the Dutch band COUNTESS is not my favourite. The main problem with this album is, in my sense, the loss of this "warrior" spirit that the previous releases contained, and the sound is not really appropriate for a black metal album I guess. Indeed, bass guitar is the main instrument on that album, which is quite uncommon in BM releases, but when you hear this album you quickly understand why BM bands prefer using it in the background... I think it is much more efficiently used on the next EP, "hell's rock'n'roll". Anyway, there are great atmospheres and songs on that CD, as ususal with COUNTESS (sorrow, despair, anger...), but if I had to convice someone that COUNTESS is really a pure fuckin' band, I would recomment him another of their albums ! For the band's fanatics only

6.5 / 10

© 2003 lord pesten