Rites of Old... Ancient Scrolls

Hoth is another project from J.A. (Decayed, Alastor, Thugnor, Death Feast) created in 1988 with the intention of adding keyboards to black metal, something that was not very common at the time, according to him. The first work of this project was entitled “Odes To My Black Goddess” and was released in 1995. It was in 2001 that something more serious came out, the first album “Rites Of The Black Goddess” with a controversial beautiful cover, good sounding production, slow pace, drawn-out compositions and pitched vocals.

It is then in 2011 that Hoth Records bet on the release of this album but with the original recording, with less effects and arrangements (especially without pitch vocals), more natural sound, aggressive and very melodic album titled: “Rites Of Old… Ancient Scrolls”, a CD-R edition with renewed artwork, with more aggressive and torned vocals than in the previous work, that were most spoken/recited voices with various effects. This album is much more natural and pure, black 'n' roll characteristic of the early 80s, very melodic, with some folk elements thanks to the most varied keyboards that create a unique black and dark atmosphere... An excellent tribute to the ancient Gods, since the lyrical work is almost all about mythology and the occultism.

The big difference from the original recording of “Rites Of The Black Goddess” is the more polished sound, without great arrangements or effects, mainly in the voice… traditional black metal, dirty, with a very melodic touch and with very good arrangements and an example of this is the opening track “Impious Congregation” with a keyboard accompaniment to accompany that memorable raw and distorted sound. Even slower tracks like “Nocturnal Offering” or “Hellish Revelations” sound very well with this kind of sound, making it a unique element in all of his projects. But the album is not just black metal and the song “Isis Celebration” is one of the highlights, a very calm track with a beautiful melody, clean guitar and superb atmosphere. Black metal returns soon with “Dragons Lords”, a fast, melodic theme, ripped voice, keyboards with great presence, highlighting the sound of the flute and that voice with pitch. “Nail The Nazarene” and “Hair Of The Dog” are two more epic songs that do not escape the fast and more moving songs described here, the latter, a cover of Nazareth.

Highly recommended album for those who like good black metal like it was done in the 80s: dirty, raw, without great arrangements and modernities, a great rarity from Hoth Records that may have been forgotten in time, but that personally remained forever.