The intro to "Herbstleyd", running around the ten-minute mark, is utterly brilliant. Nargaroth are clearly up their with the related compeers playing this style of black metal - bands that are heavily influenced by folk music, post "Under the Sign..." Bathory, and so on, but manage to decoct all of these influences into plainly malicious black metal. "Herbstleyd" is right up there with later Graveland and Osculum Infame if you need a decent comparison - the ripping black metal sections remind me of Graveland at their fastest at least, while the more relaxing parts will be appreciated by fans of Osculum Infame.

I can't get enough of the intro if I haven't made that clear yet. It's split into three parts - the first being what I assume is a sample from a folk album. Female choir vocals, over a roaring fire, that invoke such dreaded feeling of melancholy - such brilliance! The clanking of swords over a battle scene leads into clean male vocals, followed by a toned down woman speaking in German, all before dropping off into some rather atmospheric black metal not far off from Osculum Infame actually. But so wonderfully angry , and a tad more clamant and tight because of this.

There's really no point in going on. Those of you who appreciate this type of music will buy this 70-minute album, regardless. Mr. Kanwulf has produced an album of darkly inspiring and unique metal played with conviction, and I can't stress that enough.

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