The followup to "Shining Swords of Hate" starts with a repetitive, doomy, satanik church organ intro track. Except for maybe "Radbod's Doop", that's pretty much where the similarities to the last album ends. "Shining Swords" was much more bleak, desolate, monotone, suicidal, other worldly, etc.

The Countess sound is still here, but now it's epic, and almost of a space age feel this time. Check out "Hymn To The Gods of Yore" with the keyboard bits thrown in, it's like riding with Lucifer through the cosmos, smashing time barriers and planets in your way. Let's ride!

This album is more brutal too. If Bathory's early acidic, black metal attack went avante-garde, it wouldn't be too far off from modern-day Countess. A lot of ominous ohm-ing. Wicked. Good simple riffing and beats like Gravewurm but not as death metal.

The occasionally punky feel explodes especially on "Filth Machine" with the fast uptempo polka beat with heavy double bass drum kicks.

Ending this great album is a cover of the Venom classic "Countess Bathory" ("Black Metal" lp) and it is actually fucking good. Scary and heavy. The tortured screaming suits it.

The album has a dirty, gritty, bottom heavy production. Another damn fine release from the Barbarian Wrath label. With bands like Countess, Megiddo, Nunslaughter, Alastor, and Morrigan on their roster, they are one of the best underground black metal labels around. As usual, limited to 666 copies.

1. 3:34 Introitus (Return of the Wolves)
2. 7:57 A Battle In Darkness
3. 5:34 Hymn To The Gods of Yore
4. 4:47 Born Again In Sin
5. 7:20 Triumph of Metal
6. 2:43 Masturbo Ergo Sum - Act 1
7. 4:04 On Earth As It Is In Hell
8. 3:54 Idolatry
9. 5:55 Radbod's Doop
10. 2:48 Filth Machine
11. 15:42 Black Duncan Rides Again (The Horned One's Revenge)
12. 3:48 Countess Bathory

© 2001 mlotek