...of the Night

Satanic Warmaster is one of those BM bands that you can count on. If you are in the need for traditional BM that makes the blood freeze in your veins during those long nights when 'normal' humans are asleep and you are in the midst of a nocturnal schedule. No satanic death/thrash in the vein of Sarcofago here(not that that's a problem), just traditional grim Black metal from the land of the north.

Side 1 is a straightforward icy black cut called "Chapter I:...Of The Night". If you are a fan of second-wave Norwegian black metal, you will automatically enjoy this. Starts off with a mid-tempo then cuts into some double-bass attack and back into mid-temp with some alternating double-kick here and there. Nothing out of the ordinary. Satanic Tyrant Werewolf's vocals are blasphemous and kult/grim in an excellent way. Nothing to joke about here....just feel the darkness kick in.

Side 2 is where things get more intresting. "Chapter II: Chronicle of Thy Astral Blood" starts off with a HYPNOTIC-like riff that sounds extremely keyboardish. Very similar to "Rain Falls" off their excellent "Opferblut" LP. Doomy but very melancholic intro then gives into the double-bass and droning riffs. Alternating between that and the hypnotic/melodic riffing this is again like side 1. Again STW's vocals screech through the godless black as a sign of hope for those who are damned.

Between those two songs, side 2 is the definate winner just for those slow melodic riffing. If that's one thing I love about SW, is Lord War Torech's studio presence. He's got a knack for riffs that makes the songs alive, and that's definately something that sooooooooooooooooooooooooo many, many, many BM bands these days are fucking lacking are riffs.

If you get the chance, look through Ebay, trade, whatever.....definately pick this up.