Sojourn / Ghost Tower

Two tracks appear on this demo, of which one is a cover version... so, there is not really much to write on. Around nine and a half minutes of ... yes, how to describe the music properly? It is labelled as black metal, but this might be misleading, because it differs from what is currently performed in the scene. Neither depressive nor aggressive elements can be found in the two compositions, but rather some of the spirit of the old days and particular that of Venom. Ghost Tower of Inverness shows influences of thrash metal, while the vocals are performed in a black metal fashion; the mixture of speaking/croaking and some rare screams are also not commonplace today. This track offers basically two sets of styles: a faster thrash influenced and slower doomy one.

Nothing to complain about on these aspects, as it is interesting to see a band to venture back to the old days, but the sound leaves a lot to be desired. Is it really necessary to come with such a thin production? Where is the punch in the bass-guitar? Why do the drums have such an amount of power? The problems begin here and they ruin the attempt in some respect; and the switch of the vocals from one speaker to the other and vice versa are not able to compensate this. Some additional depth would work fine with the music. Strange is also the timing of the vocals with the melody in Ghost Tower of Inverness when the tempo is at a higher level; it sounds a bit odd.

The cover version is ok, nothing outstanding, but listenable. The aspect discussed in the paragraph above ruins it in parts, though, or better said has a negative impact.

Well ... as stated in the beginning of this review, less then ten minutes in length, is not really much and to write on it, especially as only two tracks appear on this demo is tricky. A lot of aspects remain vague and the band still has to prove their potential. This is an appetizer ... and nothing more.

With only two songs, Sojourn, the rehearsal demo from New Jersey's Immolith leaves me wanting much more. But calling this a pure rehearsal demo is, well, somewhat confusing because I don't believe this is a "Rehearsal" demo at all. Sure, the production does sound like a rehearsal - the drums are raw, with a natural feel, triggerless and very blackened, the guitars are muffled and laden in fuzz and doom, but using the H2 Hand held recorder, it would be very difficult to record the vocals on this recording. In first track, you can hear, very clearly on headphones, that the vocals alternate between left and right hard pans, as if going around your head in symmetrical sweeps. With vocals most likely being sourced into a PA of some sort and being played through stationary speakers, this panning ability would have to be produced in some sort of either post production phase or with calculated takes using the H2 panning features. Also, with Immolith (guitars / vocals), Warhead (drums, also in stalwart black metallers Abazagorath), and Ahazu (bass) playing the songs, I would wager that unless either one of them is an octopus cross bred human-squid creature, pressing the buttons on the actual recording device would be nigh impossible. Maybe they had someone at the rehearsal also turning the microphone however with no noticeable changes in the dynamics of the drums or guitar, I wouldn't count on that either. Either way, I wouldn't call this a true rehearsal recording and more likely some combination of the two.

With that out of the way, I have to admit that I like the direction the band is taking with the one original track presented. A mixture of Venom, Bathory and, to my ears a fair bit of Candlemass as well - in the slower sections - "Ghost Tower of Inverness" presents memorable melodies, interesting ideas and showcases a true devotion to playing black metal in the style of the originators and not in the style of today's crop of super fast, psuedo-evil black metal upstarts. Though this opening track is a rather simple brooding, chest thumping dirge-like soaker, the necessary "brick" of heaviness that the mid tempo song needs to really crush holds it down just slightly. A more distorted bass or overdubbed vocals would add some mass to the recording but this is still an enjoyable track. If you want to enjoy it you will, if you're not paying much attention and it is playing in the background it will most likely pass you by unnoticed. Second track is a cover of Venom's Countess Bathory which, while holding its own in a pillow fight with the myriad modern punk bands, would be crushed under the weight of the original. Still enjoyable and still one of the better Venom covers I have heard simply because Immolith is naturally playing the same style.

With a four song EP in the works for the summer, this is a band to keep an eye on, especially if they could lose some of the stereotypical modern black metal elements and retain the Venom and Doom influenced sound that really grabs my attention.