Spear Of Longinus
The Yoga Of National Socialism
[Vinland Winds]


I have made up my mind that Spear Of Longinus is the new official usurper of Master's Hammer throne of "superior confusion within a black metal band." Just very odd stuff bordering on the boundary of being stupid... but making it very good instead.

These guys are Australian and play an interesting style of RAC influenced black thrash, perhaps with similarites to Gestapo SS, Absurd, Black Sabbath, and maybe Honor or some white rock band of that ilk. Using a unique hybrid of Nationalistic- Buddhist Philosophies, Spear Of Longinus have really proved themselves to be genuine seekers of the truth, and furthermore, more than a bunch of teenagers who just picked up their first Absurd interview and are anxious to go plagerize Heindrick's ideas word for word for their newest goth girlfriend.

Instead, these ideas are very transcendent, going beyond any real distinctive class of restriction into a sort of manifold of various beliefs. One of the better tracks, "Shiva Dancing", is based on the Buddhist idea of Grand Unification, or "oneness" with the universe through Nibbana, or what we know as Enlightenment. Very inspired and evocative images here, and also something that is really quite unique even within the bounds of the Ns scene at large.

Music wise, this honestly is not my favorite, and at best I can say it is enjoyable. I am not sure how they have become affiliated with the Black Metal scene in general, because the honest fact is that this material is not black. I believe a better categorization may have been "spiritual hate-rock" or something along those lines. The vocals are very OI!, and seem to levitate between your typical aggresive rock structure and black metal rasps. Like I said before, a definite similarity can be drawn to the likes of Absurd, and even Black Sabbath at times.

Although very hard to describe, and even possibly to like, Spear Of Longinus can be said with the utmost of confidence to believe and support wholeheartedly their expressed ideals, and not merely publicize them for some sort of instant recognition within the NSBm ranks. This is from the heart and soul.


© 2002 orodruin