HEIDENLAND - Onderaards

Released August 17/18 (Bandcamp)

A five-track, nineteen-minute EP from B.C. (via Netherlands) black metal unit Heidenland on tap here. The first track ('Grav' - a Tulus cover) attacks in a one-dimensional blasting BM assault, being somewhat derivative in nature. Nothing special to hear here. However, the following three tracks more than make up for this slight misstep, finding Heidenland in fine, unique form.

All three tracks go for the jugular in first wave blackness glee, the inclusion of some Thomas G. Warrior-style lead guitar solos and intermittent moody keyboard effects establishing a unique sound for the band. Way cool to also hear a Voivod-ian mid-section on the title track that would have made Piggy proud. Havoque's throat-lacerating vokills certainly fit perfectly as well, bringing to mind early Darkthrone blisterfests.

The EP ends with a crawling, oxygen-deprived 'Wolfwezen's Doom' that evokes comparisons to Celtic Frost's 'Procreation (Of The Wicked)'. Altogether, Onderaards should succeed in garnering Heidenland with some hard-earned acclaim to fuel efforts for some further audio assaults in the future.

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