Realm Of Carnivora - Verised Relvad
2003 - Ketzer Records
By Philip Whitehouse
After being plagued by line-up troubles and a brief period of farting about with Judas Priest covers, Estonian black metallers Realm Of Carnivora return with their first official release, and an impressive follow-up to extremely limited demo cassette release '...Vengeance Shall Come'. Playing pagan-influenced, grim-as-Grishnakh black metal, Realm Of Carnivora seem more related to the likes of Einherjer, a welcome fact considering the number of Marduk clones popping up these days...
Over the course of the nine tracks (and one bonus track that sounds suspiciously like a Darkthrone cover but is apparently dedicated 'to the True Spirit of Black metal), Realm Of Carnivora treat us to a more mid-tempo style of black metal than was evidenced on '...Vengeance', although they do still hit the gas and go for the blastbeats when the song requires it. Occasionally, fairly atonal horn sections accompany the riffs, adding an unsettling atmosphere to the chilling waves of ambient distortion, while the vocalist growls and gargles his way through the tracks. The production is pretty rough, but strangely appropriate, giving rise to oddly trance-like melodies through the buzz of trebly distortion in the manner of the old Norwegian masters. Can't say I think much of the bizarre effects applied to the drums during the outro track of the album, though.
Occasional usage of clean guitars and keyboards gives rise to the odd, almost epic moment in the barrage of grimness, and lifts 'Verised Relvad' above the mire of faceless repetetivity, although there is still a certain lack of individuality here. Still, it's well performed, suitably raw and generally entertaining.
6/10
Go to the Ketzer Records website.
2003 - Ketzer Records
By Philip Whitehouse
After being plagued by line-up troubles and a brief period of farting about with Judas Priest covers, Estonian black metallers Realm Of Carnivora return with their first official release, and an impressive follow-up to extremely limited demo cassette release '...Vengeance Shall Come'. Playing pagan-influenced, grim-as-Grishnakh black metal, Realm Of Carnivora seem more related to the likes of Einherjer, a welcome fact considering the number of Marduk clones popping up these days...
Over the course of the nine tracks (and one bonus track that sounds suspiciously like a Darkthrone cover but is apparently dedicated 'to the True Spirit of Black metal), Realm Of Carnivora treat us to a more mid-tempo style of black metal than was evidenced on '...Vengeance', although they do still hit the gas and go for the blastbeats when the song requires it. Occasionally, fairly atonal horn sections accompany the riffs, adding an unsettling atmosphere to the chilling waves of ambient distortion, while the vocalist growls and gargles his way through the tracks. The production is pretty rough, but strangely appropriate, giving rise to oddly trance-like melodies through the buzz of trebly distortion in the manner of the old Norwegian masters. Can't say I think much of the bizarre effects applied to the drums during the outro track of the album, though.
Occasional usage of clean guitars and keyboards gives rise to the odd, almost epic moment in the barrage of grimness, and lifts 'Verised Relvad' above the mire of faceless repetetivity, although there is still a certain lack of individuality here. Still, it's well performed, suitably raw and generally entertaining.
6/10
Go to the Ketzer Records website.
