Osculum Infame returns in full force with a mini-CD entitled "The Black Theology". Mini-CD:s are hated by one and all I know, but 4 tracks and 25 minutes of music make up for many a full length black metal albums so this deal might not be a total rip off after all.

Since I have hyped OI:s debut album beyond comprehension you might know what is about to unravel here... Well, I like TBT but I don't find it as good as Dor-Nu-Fauglith. Very much is the same. The compositions are the same (well doh, not the same but similar) and vox are sung the same way. The main thing that makes this album inferior to DNF is the production. The production is not as clear as on DNF creating a more messy or chaotic sound picture. The atmospheric part suffers from this. Don't get me wrong there is plenty of atmosphere on this album just not as much and as successful as on DNF.

I've only possessed this record for a short while so I just might change my views on this but if I compare it to DNF today I regard it inferior but still as a VERY good record. It's possible that OI on this album opts for a little harsher approach, but I hope that they will return to the sound and the production of DNF and then evolve the music from there. When you read this you might get the impression that the production differs a lot between the two records but that is not true, I'm just very touchy with this hence I regard the atmosphere the finest quality of Osculum Infame.

All in all: a very good record of atmospheric black metal with underground influences. Not as good as their debut but well worth picking up despite the fact that it is a mini-CD. Hail to Osculum Infame for yet another timeless effort!!!

Even here though, there are some verses that are spoken and you here more of the Frenglish then you really want... aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhh!!!

© 2001 herr nebelwerfer