Wan - Wolves of the North (Abyss Records 2010)

The spirit of Bathory lives on!!!! The possibly mythological Christ, yet ordained wonderman was only resurrected ONCE, but the “unholy” and unrefined Nordic sounds of the black and malevolent soldiers of aggressive black/thrash terror are continually being brought back from the grave by bands like this one that chose to remain loyal to that sound. Amazing how it’s the one considered to be true evil that gets the most respect and loyalty, and no I don’t mean Christ either.

Is it a tired and abused sound…? Yes…depending on the context (i.e. band/artist).

But are there any good bands that keep that blue blood frozen in the veins of pure and untampered with metal?

Hell Yes!!!!!!! This Swedish trio of blood drenched, axe wielding barbarians (you should see the photos on the inside cover) is one who defends the territory once dominated by Quorthon, early Immortal, early Darkthrone, Celtic Frost, and Hellhammer. I really can’t write a tome on this album because it’s exactly this: simple, annihilating, raw, barbaric, melodic Nordic black metal/thrash ala 1985-1994. If you need more explanation than that, you are looking in the wrong music section.

This is good and solid stuff that breaks no boundaries that haven’t been already, but will gladly break someone’s neck instead. If you want some really great Scandi sounds but already own the classics, then pick this one up to add to it. You’d swear that it was a lost release. I love it myself, and I’m generally picky, so if it gets my snotty seal of approval, it at least stomps and shreds. AAHHHH…Comfort food for metal heads!!!!

I also highly recommend other classic sounding Nordic/ influenced black metal bands: Immolith (US), Black Crucifixion (FIN), Church Bizarre, Denouncement Pyre, Funeral Goat, Graveland…you get the idea: “Chilling and really hollow sounding like an echo through an ice crevasse, with thrashy riffs that rip and tear to some riotous rhythm.”