J'aurais dû

When black metal first popped up in the 80's it started off with raw production, screeched vocals, blast beats, and very dark guitar riffs. Around 30 years later this can still be found. This album is a very good example of raw black metal done in the right way in the modern era. With all these sub genres of black metal popping up you can still find great straight up raw black metal. This is easily one of the best raw black metal albums from the last decade. It really is a great blast from the past for all those raw black metal fans.

The production on this album is amazing, no real complaints to it honestly. The entire mix just blends together so well to make this great atmosphere that cannot really be matched. It honestly really reminds me of Immortal when it comes to the production. It just has a very winter feel to it. It has just a classic black metal atmosphere and that is what is really unique about it. Like this type of black metal has already been done before, its really just old school black metal in the modern day. The unique thing that it is bringing back the old black metal sound in the modern era when all these new bands going away from the original black metal sound. Original as meaning the old school.

The album is full of great riffs. They are very memorable and catchy, really embodies black metal. The layering of riffs are very important to atmosphere of the entire album. Still giving a very cold feel with the album. The riffs really make the whole album, they manage to keep me interested throughout the record. The tremolo riffs stacked upon each other is just a major attraction. The riffs really remind me of Immortal. Very impressive considering it is a one man band.

The drums aren't really anything special, what you really expect in black metal. I mean in the modern era you can't really do anything unique with drums in black metal. It manages to fit the atmosphere very well, making major tempo changes throughout the album. It can go from very fast to very slow, but I manage to find an extreme lack of drum fills and repetition. I will take some points off for repetition in drums and such. Everything seems pretty in place.

The vocals really fit into the mix and have a certain fade to it. He has the ability to hold out a certain scream and fade it into the atmosphere which is something I rarely every hear in black metal. Other than that it is traditional black metal shrieks and such, I prefer howls still. They probably would have fit the album better as well. Overall this album is pretty great, and one of the best of the year even though it is May. I have high hopes that this band will blow up here soon and make more quality like this record.