Nort / Xashthur split

(Southern Lord Records 2005)

album review

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Southern Lord usually never steers me wrong, but when I got this split and read that it was black metal I got a little worried, (because most of the black metal I hear is crap). But, like most Southern Lord releases, this is doomy as hell. The first 4 tracks on this split, (originally limited to 1,000 copies and released by Sweden's Total Holocaust Records) belong to Nortt, who are slow, depressing, and creepy. They have some seriously melodramatic piano going on, and gravel gargling vocals. The thing I don't get is the 2nd guitar in there, the tone is pretty horrible, it sounds like a crappy solid state amp, or one of those really bad death metal pedals. Actually, if you took out the keyboard/piano and the cheesy sounding 2nd guitar, they could pass for a doom band on some tunes.
Xasthur have the last 3 tracks, leading off with "A Curse For The Lifeless", a mellow, melodic and atmostpheric instrumental. The next tune, "Blood From The Roots Of The Forest" is a bit more upbeat, and brings the old-school doom. The last track is slow and gloomy, good stuff.

Album Rating:

Reviewed by: Wolfie

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