As a rule of thumb, I’ve never been the biggest fan of the blast beat form of black metal. Although I admittedly like Marduk to some extent, I cannot sit through an entire Marduk album, and I’ve always hated Allegiance and Dark Funeral with a dark and putrid passion.

This however, is something very different indeed. Warlust, in a very uncanny manner, has actually managed to inject some life and zest into a style of music I had prior written off as hopelessly banal and stereotypical. This is not, you see, speed for speed’s sake black metal. This is music that utilizes the blast to its most effective extent, each sonorous rumble of the bass drum audible and savoured by the ear. Unlike Marduk’s Panzer Division Marduk, Warlust injects the right amount of hooks (or semi-hooks, perhaps) and musical changes to keep the listener interested, instead of the relentless, mindless double-bass pounding that induces nothing but boredom.

Unlike Marduk, Warlust actually throws in some slow breakdowns here and there to keep the head nodding throughout the entirety of their long (6 minutes and up) blast fests. Unlike Marduk, I can sit through the entirety of this MCD, which is more than I can say about Marduk’s Here’s No Peace MCD. This is quality blastbeat metal and I rightfully heap my adoration on its brilliance. Hopefully these guys get recognized by the black metal public, but since Dark Funeral is so worshipped on shores worldwide, perhaps not after all. Oh well.

[9]

© 2000 equimanthorn