Album Review :
Duister Maanlicht / Kärv - Split
By Loyd Harp in Reviews | No Comments
Two raw European black metal bands meet head to head on this new split CD. Both of the ‘bands’ are effectually one-man projects. Duister Maanlicht hail from the Netherlands, while Kärv is from Sweden.
The first thing we’ll notice after popping the CD into the player is how well produced this is. The style is raw/primitive or “old school” black metal, but fortunately for the listener, this doesn’t sound like it was recorded in a metal barn. All of the instruments come through clearly, and yet nothing is too polished or over-produced.
While both bands are in the traditional black metal style, they have some subtle stylistic differences that set them apart. Kärv has some hints of thrash metal (which is not surprising considering the genre’s roots in 1980s speed metal, particularly with early artists like Venom and Bathory) and features a tiny bit more melody than their Dutch counterparts.
On the other hand, Duister Maanlicht continues to be influenced (albeit mildly) by hardcore punk (not too unlike later Darkthrone and some of the Scandinavian crust punk bands who have dabbled in black metal). Nonetheless the punk undertones are hints rather than overt here as the band rips through furious black metal-paced blast beats and otherworldly vocals. In fact, these three songs might be some of the best Duister Maanlicht material I’ve heard so far, and I’ve been following them for a few years now!
The EP offers 3 new tracks from each band for a total of 6 tracks overall. For casual fans of black metal, this is a great introduction to both bands and to the traditional bm style. And with a plethora of subpar quality black metal in existence, this is something I don’t hesitate to recommend.
See Sneeuwstorm Produkties’ Bandcamp page for ordering info in digital or CD formats: https://sneeuwstormprodukties.bandcamp.com/album/split-3
