Black Imperial Blood (Travel)

This isn't the first time I have preferred a demo to an album in certain regards. The production here is a little grainier and darker than the actual album which is no surprise, but it lends itself an element of atmosphere that is hard to capture. There is more bass in the overall mix and the guitars are well balanced than on the full length. Dark droning melodies collide with whirlwind tremelo picking and plodding, simplistic, programmed drums. This is the perfect template for one of the darkest pieces of music out there.

The material is reasonably complex for black metal. The first track is almost neo-classical in composition and has some outstanding melodies and chord structures. Within the first few notes you know you're in for something good. Vocals range from raspy screams to majestic howls and are somewhat distinct in the black metal community. The title track has some of the most terrifying vocals I have ever heard, especially the groans and moans after the intro. This is sheer black metal terror and without a doubt the darkest piece of music I have heard. Halfway through the song you're hit with a sharp change in tempo and a beautiful, descending waterfall chord structure that sounds like it was written by someone who has never seen the sun.

Diatonic minor chord phrasing and dissonant arpeggios are scattered through the album and there's even a guitar solo on the track Under Ardailles Night. Wild bends and tremelo picked legato phrases are layered nicely over the main theme of the song, and if I'm not mistaken, this may be the only guitar solo in Mutiilation's catalog. Song and riff structures are far removed from anything conventional or rock oriented. The abandonment of anything other than a chapter from Darkthrone's A Blaze in the Northern Sky or early Norwegian black metal is very evident, and even then, this is far more refined. This is pure black metal, with no contaminants.

The production values are unmatched. It almost sounds like it was raining in the room this was recorded in, yet you can still hear the instruments well enough. This is a fine example of the early French black metal scene, and I challenge you to find something darker and more well balanced. It simply doesn't exist. The other worldy atmosphere, the funeral dirge riffs colliding with relentless blasting, and the lack of any influence other than black metal make this an essential listen for those interested in this style of music.

This Mutiilation demo mostly showcases songs that were later on Vampires... but these are the original versions, and I have to say, I think I like these better.

The opening song, Magical Shadows of a Tragic Past is brilliant, simply beautifully ugly BM in a way that sounds so obscure and almost "cellar dwelling." The sound quality is good on this song, as it is on the entire tape, and this helps to bring out all the colors (or lack thereof) in the music. The version of this song that appears here I believe is far superior to the version found on Vampires... simply because it just seems so much more evil. The drums are also a real highlight to this song, using a lot of double bass fills that weren't included on the full length. Clocking in at around 10 minutes, this is definately my favorite song on this demo, but that doesn't mean that the other songs are slouches, not by any means.

Under Ardailles Night is certainly a real treat too. It has a guitar solo about half-way through the song, which doesn't really add or take away from the music, but it's just there. Amateurish may be a good word for the solo, but nonetheless it's pretty good, but I'm not sure it fits with this music. Black Imperial Blood (Travel) is also an excellent piece of BM history, even being covered by Xasthur on the Nocturnal Poisoning album. Purely instrumental, it emphasises the real playing ability of Mey'nach and his group of BM terrorists.

If you can find this, by all means, buy it, you won't be dissapointed. It's extremely hard to find, as is all LLN releases (except for newer Mutiilation material), but it is well worth a listen. Just don't spend 200 dollars on ebay for a copy of it.

This demo is what got my attention towards Mütiilation. 42 minutes of total depression and hatred with raw haunting vocals creating a hateful and depressing atmosphere... Just listen to the song Black Imperial Blood's should-I-say "humming" vocals in the beginning. Haunting and sick! Excellent and overly distorted guitar sound with lots of unique-sounding melodies... The drumming is like on other kult-Black Legions-releases, it's a bit amateurish but it fits in the mood. Lots of tempo variations, this time I mean it in a good way. I really can't praise this demo in the way it deserves to be praised.

Overall a very unprofessional, dirty-sounding, depressive, raw and grim black metal kult-masterpiece.

+ Ultra-painful vocals...
- ...which sometimes blocks out the other instruments nearly 100%
+ Has that "Black Legions"-feeling all over.
+ Excellent demonstration that melodic bm can still be raw and grim as hell.
- Guitar solo on "Under Ardailles Night". Solos just don't fit in with raw and grim bm.

Standout tracks : Magical Shadows Of A Tragic Past, Black Imperial Blood, My Travels To Sadness, Hate & Depression.

I can't recommend this title enough for anyone who doesn't mind very lofi-sound in BM. Hail Mütiilation!