ManGVenomenon last crossed our paths on the rather excellent Nàttsòl ‘Stemning’ album in 2010. When I say crossed our path I really mean that as doing some research I realised we had actually interviewed him and Nattsjel of the band in our previous web incarnation here http://tinyurl.com/mnofs5b

Although all is quiet on this front seemingly at the moment Venomenon is back with brand new and essentially solo project Man Gremmes Kan and doing things the old school way releasing this demo on cassette. Such things always used to be a delight to receive although you never knew whether you were going to be confronted by loads of too highly recorded bass trembling and drum booms obliterating everything else in the mix or a lot of hiss but modern recording techniques have hopefully allowed full potency of tape reproductions and those that have hung onto their decks should certainly get the most out of things. For the time being I have been sent this to review as wav files and I can tell you something, they have one hell of a powerful punch.  (See link to purchase below).

Artwork is grim as is the subject matter of genocide behind this and the music quickly matches as it is not particularly pleasant listening. ‘To Bear False Witness’ opens with a blood thirsty roar and the full force of the instrumental cleave behind it, forget subtle intros here. Drumming expands with some hollow woodpecker hammering parts which are really noticeable firing like machine guns and cymbal crashes resound throughout. Over it all is a grim pervading sense of melody which marches on remorselessly as the track crushes all that its path crosses. Vocals rise to a strident and malefic pitch and some spoken parts and harsh croaky whispers add to things and make the listener literally shiver as though they are very much spoken from a pulpit and prophesying imminent doom. It all sounds cold and icy in a classic Norwegian way and as ‘Our Genocide God’ paces itself with a gravid and hungry fervour, roaming from mid-pace to full on galloping gamut there is an underlying fervour of conquering and warlike carnage running through it all.

The six songs vary between English and Norwegian and are all concise lengths not overstaying their welcome. None are without a fair dose of malice and plenty of hate behind them although a maudlin and sorrowful passage can crop up spreading misery on the likes of ‘Vaar Tornekrone’ (Our Thorn Crown) before the military sweep and cleanse of the song swipes it away.  After the incessant crush we arrive at last song ‘On A Pulpit Of Souls,’ a death march compared to what has proceeded it with harsh croaking vocals. It doesn’t last though, there is time for gloating over that which has been exterminated and revelling in the glory of the dead before the remorseless funeral is done!

Man Gremmes Kan have provided  harsh but thoroughly respectable birth into the world, if it doesn’t destroy itself who knows what Venomenon is capable of following it up with?

(7.5/10 Pete Woods)  

https://www.facebook.com/mangremmeskan

http://gloriousnorth.bandcamp.com/album/on-a-pulpit-of-souls