Not really my cup of tea, but I can see how this would appeal to a lot of the "underground". Messe Noir play an ultra fast and aggressive form of metal which incorporates elements from both the black and death genres. Comparisons could perhaps be drawn to Bestial Warlust, and maybe even the first Sacramentary Abolishment CD (although not quite as frantic as either of those two)...but as I said, this isn't my area of expertise (i.e.: hyper-speed black/death crossovers) so the above statement should be taken with a fistful of salt (This might seem like a bit of a strange comparison, but for some reason, Messe Noir remind me of what (defunct American band) Septic Death might have sounded like if they played a death/black hybrid - perhaps it's the vocalist which makes me think that, as he has a similar "caustic" feel to his ravenous spewings). Production is top notch (although I did notice a slight change after track 5 - seems like more high end was added at that point to the final mix), and the playing is also very tight and professional (the drummer is exceptionally noteworthy). Recommended to those who like their metal very fast, very aggressive, and very "compact" in sound...

© 1999 chorazaim