Black Kruud / Drelnoch

It should come as no surprise that a split between two of underground black metal’s rawest would be a force for the ages. Black Kruud’s side takes the project’s constant wash of crash cymbals and tremolo riffs and bolsters them with what is undoubtedly the strongest vocal performance yet heard from the project. Shrieky, DSBM-like vocals blend beautifully with maniacal screams and some gritty, rudimentary clean singing and keep the music engaging even when the riffs get a little repetitive.

Further exploration of the Kruud’s transdimensional themes is to be expected, and though the singsongy title "Glacial Tension from the Twelfth Dimension" isn’t garnering any favor, the song itself is a powerhouse of atmosphere and viciousness. I can think of few bands who can make a midtempo tremolo riff work quite as effectively as this, and each repetition is like a deeper look into the merciless, unending cosmos.

Drelnoch’s side is decent too, something like an earthly answer to Black Kruud’s galactic misery. I actually prefer the production on Drelnoch’s side, rough and rocky with microphone distortion. The trebly lead guitars cut through the mix a bit too much and it betrays their simplicity, but the excellent drum and vocal performances make up for it. And while I can’t say I love the leads, the rhythm guitars occasionally strike gold, conjuring the balance of wistful nostalgia and grim bitterness that drew me into black metal in the first place.

There are major missteps (the vaguely honky-tonking guitars throughout "Púca", for instance) and unexpected choices (like the many dialogue samples from 70s eco-horror flick Frogs which, like the film, are thematically resonant but also winkingly hilarious) but nothing rough enough to lower the quality too drastically. It’s the weaker side of the split by far, but it’s still well worth the listen in its own right.

Even a passing interest in either band is reason enough to pick up this tape, and no matter which artist is the main attraction for you it would be an error to ignore the flipside.

Originally published in Vintermørke #1; some edits and additions made for length and consistency