Gorgoroth
Pentagram
[Malicious]
Completely insane, totally inspired black metal. This album and its successor, 'Antichrist', can be seen as a summary of Norwegian black metal, coming as they did right at the end of that subgenre's period of greatest relevance. Gorgoroth is a band you know is Norwegian after three seconds of listening.
That's not to say 'Pentagram' is redundant. In fact, Gorgoroth twist and shape the influence of Darkthrone, as well as '80s innovators (specifically the omnipresent Celtic Frost and a noticeable lean towards early German black/death like Sodom) into something very much their own. Also remember this was created in 1993, when it certainly wasn't generic.
I'd even say that aside from Darkthrone and Burzum, the first two Gorgoroth records are the largest influence on the "black and white" style of black metal. Many bands that are supposedly straight Darkthrone ripoffs are actually trying this slightly more melodic, "tiered" approach to songwriting. I'd like to know who else had written a song like "Maaneskyggens Slave". The heavy riff in the middle is godly, and then the way it gets sucked up into an icy maelstrom and held for the duration is just overwhelmingly intense.
The record possesses an aura of pure evil that is of course enhanced by the ridiculously inhuman vocal performance of Hat. Donald Duck comparisons aren't entirely unfounded. However, the music is so honest and innovative that there's no time to laugh.
Of special note is the performance of one of black metal's most overlooked drummers, Goat. He isn't an intricate blast beat prodigy but has a great feel for dragging the listener into the music by building tension in a song and highlighting the most forceful parts. Check "Drómmer om Dód" and "(Under) the Pagan Megalith" (if you aren't banging your head at the 1:41 and 3:09 marks of this song, something's amiss).
Other top moments include the genre classic "Crushing the Scepter (Regaining a Lost Dominion)" and the truly beautiful two minute instrumental masterpiece "Huldrelokk". But at 29:18 of end-to-end black metal genius, 'Pentagram' is that rare album that can (and should) be played through several times repeatedly. Hypnotic.
© 2001 j.s.
That's not to say 'Pentagram' is redundant. In fact, Gorgoroth twist and shape the influence of Darkthrone, as well as '80s innovators (specifically the omnipresent Celtic Frost and a noticeable lean towards early German black/death like Sodom) into something very much their own. Also remember this was created in 1993, when it certainly wasn't generic.
I'd even say that aside from Darkthrone and Burzum, the first two Gorgoroth records are the largest influence on the "black and white" style of black metal. Many bands that are supposedly straight Darkthrone ripoffs are actually trying this slightly more melodic, "tiered" approach to songwriting. I'd like to know who else had written a song like "Maaneskyggens Slave". The heavy riff in the middle is godly, and then the way it gets sucked up into an icy maelstrom and held for the duration is just overwhelmingly intense.
The record possesses an aura of pure evil that is of course enhanced by the ridiculously inhuman vocal performance of Hat. Donald Duck comparisons aren't entirely unfounded. However, the music is so honest and innovative that there's no time to laugh.
Of special note is the performance of one of black metal's most overlooked drummers, Goat. He isn't an intricate blast beat prodigy but has a great feel for dragging the listener into the music by building tension in a song and highlighting the most forceful parts. Check "Drómmer om Dód" and "(Under) the Pagan Megalith" (if you aren't banging your head at the 1:41 and 3:09 marks of this song, something's amiss).
Other top moments include the genre classic "Crushing the Scepter (Regaining a Lost Dominion)" and the truly beautiful two minute instrumental masterpiece "Huldrelokk". But at 29:18 of end-to-end black metal genius, 'Pentagram' is that rare album that can (and should) be played through several times repeatedly. Hypnotic.
© 2001 j.s.