|
Slechtvalk is finally upon us. It actually caught most by surprise. A release this good doesn't usually sneak up on you. Right alongside other great black metal bands like Antestor, Sanctifica, and Vaakevandring, the Dutch band Slechtvalk has put yet another notch in the belt of Christian black metal. The music here is very intense. Sometimes very fast, but not always. Shamgar, who does all the work here, does quite a fantastic job. All the songs stand on their own, with no "sound-alikes", which plague some black metal bands. He uses lots of keyboards to very good effect. The vocals are very well done with black shrieks and the occasional death grunt, and the instrument playing is top notch. I'm sceptical about whether he used a drum machine, but like on Kekal's albums, even if he does, it doesn't detract from the overall impression I get from this album. Standout cuts for me, though hard to pick, would have to be "Cries of the Haunted", "In Hell I Burn", and "My Eternal Beloved".
I'd have to say that if you like black metal it's a safe bet that you will like this CD. (Review by Matt)
|
