My first encounter with Cirith Gorgor was about 15 years ago when they blackened my life thanks to a track on a sampler. Although I never did anything more about it at the time, I didn’t forget the name of this band, whose sample made Enthroned, with whom there is a loose similarity, seem soft. It’s a pleasure after these few years to share in the self-proclaimed Luciferian deathsquad’s war campaign, which this EP, the follow up to six albums, various demos and splits and another EP, represents.

Well, the corpse-painted, hate-filled lads haven’t mellowed. A hearty scream, abundant violence, furious drums and bucketloads of malevolence set out the march that is “Proclamation of Destruction”. A miserable riff runs through the sheer turbulence. This is total Mardukesque war mongering. The initial creepiness and withering disharmony of “The Luciferian Principle” recalls Mayhem, but then the scene changes and the modern black melody is that of Khold. Fury and sparks abound, but this not a track to be pinned down as it goes from anarchic violence to sinister acoustics. Chaos is clearly the byword. Musically this was all over the place, so in keeping but not easy on the ear. Another rampant march begins. The guitar strikes imperiously. The spoken tones of a deathly warlord operate in the background of this latest ode to carnage, the title track “Bi den Dode Hant”. Raucous ranting accompanies this scene of bleakness and devastation. “A Vision of Exalted Lucifer” continues the nasty mood.

There’s nothing subtle about this. It’s not new or original but does not claim to be. At times it makes your hair stand on end. The black metal of “Bi den Dode Hant” is apocalyptic, fiery, uncompromising, and just plain evil.

(7/10 Andrew Doherty)

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