Cirith Gorgor – Bi Den Dode Hant (Hammerheart Records)

Monday, 13th March 2017
Rating: 8/10

Playing the devils music for over two decades is no easy feat but Cirith Gorgor have stayed true to the left hand path for a while now. Last year they released the excellent Visions of Exalted Lucifer and they return to 2017 with the ep Bi Den Dode Hant.

“Proclamation of Destruction” opens things right up properly, throwing the listener into time tested blasphemous black metal that may be old school to newer fans of the genre, but will sit well received with us old dudes. There’s no mucking about with what Cirith Gorgor are banging out here. Blasted hymns of well recorded, but not too polished, grim perseverance that delivers its iron fist (and will) to the listener in four excellent tracks that make up Bi Den Dode Hant.

Vocalist Satanael utilizes various vocal stylings that range from black rasp, spoken plasms and throaty chants that work to great effect in each song found here that gives Cirith Gorgor a much more dynamic approach than a lot of your standard black metal bands. The guitars interchange cryptic riffs with semi melodic melody lines that never become overly melodic and have just the proper amount of menace. Oh, and the bass tone is fantastic, which is something more black metal bands should take note of. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget the drumming, which is absolutely punishing and fits perfectly, pushing the band forward, blasting its way from hell into this world for all to hear.

The finishing track on the ep “A Vision of Exalted Lucifer” is from their last album and concludes things properly on this release. It sounds like this track was the same one taken from their last album of the similar name listed above, but honestly the track is so good hearing it in two places sits just fine with me and should encourage those who check this ep out to go purchase the last album if you haven’t already.

They say the devil has the best music and Cirith Gorgor verify this with Bi Den Dode Hant.

Cirith Gorgor official website

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