Review by JD on December 6, 2012.

Promos are a way for a band to promote themselves before releasing an album. Good marketing, I guess. I see promos and EP’s as more of a tease than anything. Something I hate. Chicago’s Kommandant has marketed themselves just like that... will it win me over? Let’s see here.

If you go by the bands acrid sound, you may think Kommandant was a full on Black/Death Metal outfit. Seeing a picture of them wearing gas masks and German like attire at a alter... I think they are more in line with Burzum’s lone member Varg Vikernes and cross all of that sort of think over to a American version of NSBM (National Socialist Black Metal). With buzz-saw guitars and hate spewed lyrics... me thinks I am right.

While the two songs here are very clearly indicative of the extremes that is Black Metal in the new age, it really does not stand out, and seems like the sound and fury has all been done too many times over. The growled and spat lyrics and their messages I will let you decide, opting to let freedom of expression to reign here. I myself, could not agree any less with them, and wondered a time or two about them... but the right of everyone to their own views is just that - a right.

The metal world as a whole is very open minded (despite the mainstream music thinking otherwise), but many in our headbanging family would not agree with Kommandant and its hate fuelled words. I will let you the readers decide on this band - I leave this review with my opinion rating, being as open to everything as I can... but I have to say that this promo has left a bad taste in my mouth, musically and otherwise.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship:4
Atmosphere: 4
Production: 5
Originality: 4
Overall: 5

Rating: 4.4 out of 10