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/:: Artist :: Hate Forest ::\
:: Album :: Nietzscheism ::
:: Year :: 2021 ::
:: __ _ _ __ ::
-:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:-
:: \ / ::
:: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CDDA . ::
:: Label :: Black Metal Store R.date :: 05.05.2022 ::
_::__ Cat.nr. :: BMS042 Size :: 98,4 MB __::_
::// \\::
::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\::
:: ::
/: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\
..: Bitrate :: avg. 273kbps : .
. Quality :: 44,1kHz/Joint-Stereo .
. .
Website ::
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
.\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////.
+/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: 01. Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi (Carl Orff) 05:38 ::
:: 02. Annihilation 03:27 ::
:: 03. The Wood Brothers 04:42 ::
:: 04. Scythia 07:05 ::
:: 05. Shining Abyss 04:25 ::
:: 06. Aryosophia 06:55 ::
:: 07. Nietzscheism 07:13 ::
:: 08. Black God 06:26 ::
:: 09. Burning Churches 04:30 ::
:: ------- ::
.. >> 50:21 min ..
__ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __
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+/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+
/: . : : . :\
/:: ::\
:: ::
:: After the turn of the millennium black metal entered a ::
:: strange semi-mainstream state, with bands expanding their ::
:: sounds into a more commercial realm as the broader metal ::
:: zeitgeist cottoned on and every teenager and their little ::
:: brother were suddenly acolytes. The old Norwegian guard had ::
:: mostly stepped away from their early 90s beginnings, with ::
:: Emperor, Mayhem, Satyricon et al becoming more progressive, ::
:: experimental and monochromatic, respectively. ::
:: ::
:: Yet there were also bands who entered the underground and ::
:: created some of the greatest black metal albums of all ::
:: time. Bands like Taake kept the flame alive, as did the ::
:: Ukranians Roman Saenko and Thurios with twin projects: the ::
:: haunting odes to nature and decay in Drudkh and the more ::
:: intense expression of power and elitism in Hate Forest. ::
:: Indeed, I consider the eventual retirement of Hate Forest ::
:: to be the beginning of the end for DrudkhÆs greatness too, ::
:: as the Drudkh sound tended to become faster and more ::
:: varied, almost as if they were integrating Hate ForestÆs ::
:: aura into that band. ::
:: ::
:: It is a profound pleasure, therefore, to explore this ::
:: collected anthology of early Hate Forest EPs entitled ::
:: rather triumphantly as æNietzscheismÆ, which includes ::
:: æResistanceÆ (2004), æDarknessÆ (2000), æBlood and FireÆ ::
:: (2001) and æRitualÆ (2001). Totalling 8 tracks plus an ::
:: introduction in the form of the entirety of the æO FortunaÆ ::
:: by Carl Orff, whose five and half minute presence is grand ::
:: yet also strangely insistent. While 'O Fortuna' is one of ::
:: the more common classical music choices in metal, it is a ::
:: fitting beginning to the philosophical and powerful tracks ::
:: across these EPs. ::
:: ::
:: The music herein is of the classic Hate Forest design ::
:: (obviously), with fast-paced blasting and powerful guitar ::
:: riffage forming the majority of the song structures. The ::
:: production across the entire collection is surprisingly ::
:: heavy and full û there is no thin trebly scratchings here; ::
:: this is big and brash, with a masculine power that suits ::
:: the ubermensch concept. ::
:: ::
:: Opening track proper, æAnnihaltionÆ is a superb entry, as ::
:: it surges forward with a somewhat crisp drum sound and ::
:: layered guitars. The next song, æThe Wooded BrothersÆ is my ::
:: favourite track here, with an atmospheric riff that sends ::
:: chills and sounds like a slightly slower and more ::
:: controlled version of æBattles in the NorthÆ, with clearly ::
:: audible bass. 'Scythia' begins with the sound of baying ::
:: wolves before the onslaught begins once again. The subtle ::
:: use of what might be timpani drums in æShining AbyssÆ adds ::
:: grandiosity. The title track is slightly less well ::
:: produced, yet contains a grand power and imperious might ::
:: with an atmospheric and moving slower mid-section that ::
:: merges power and melancholy in equal measure. So while ::
:: blasting is the order of the day, there is definite variety ::
:: here. ::
:: ::
:: The vocals across every song are essentially deep guttural ::
:: growls, punctuated at times by a mid-ranged rasp, and this ::
:: point of difference from most black metal acts actually ::
:: gives Hate Forest a refreshing flavour that works so well. ::
:: The deeper voice also suits the philosophy of elitism and ::
:: supremacy that permeates the tracks. ::
:: ::
:: æBlack GodÆ is the outlier here, beginning with the sounds ::
:: of crickets and other insects, giving rise to images of a ::
:: swamp, before foreboding drums begin to beat, presaging ::
:: oncoming disaster. At its midpoint a sinister sounding ::
:: voice comes in, possibly speaking Ukranian but sounds to me ::
:: like itÆs reversed, whichever language it is. ItÆs a ::
:: haunting and strange track and a welcome circuit-breaker, ::
:: even if it is the penultimate track on the collection. ::
:: ::
:: Final song æBurning ChurchesÆ begins with the sound of ::
:: ravishing flames consuming an edifice that may or may not ::
:: be of spiritual significance, before a sole guitar comes in ::
:: that actually foreshadows the atmosphere that Mgla would ::
:: later make their own. Church bells toll and the track, and ::
:: the collection, ends with the sound of flames, razor guitar ::
:: and bells. ItÆs a brilliant conclusion. ::
:: ::
:: The re-release from Osmose comes in a glossy digipak, with ::
:: a stunning cover of a statue, chained, yet with eyes turned ::
:: upwards to a glowing light above it. Very profound. The ::
:: booklet contains the artwork from each EP, which is a great ::
:: inclusion, their tracklists and recording and release ::
:: dates. The original cover is on the back page of the ::
:: booklet, while the middle page spread shows the edge of a ::
:: glacier, which looks impressive, if somewhat out of place. ::
:: The digipak itself has a great image of flames and a Goethe ::
:: quote. So the packaging is quite special. ::
:: ::
:: I tend to find this release even more moving than their ::
:: best albums, such as æPurityÆ and æBattlefieldsÆ, as great ::
:: as those albums are. The variety on offer, due to the ::
:: manifold releases that are brought together here, means ::
:: that there is never a dull moment, and yet it all weaves ::
:: together almost as if it was intended to. This seems to me ::
:: to be mandatory for Hate Forest fans, and highly ::
:: recommended for everyone else. ::
:: ::
:: . _ _ . ::
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