Review by Alex on August 23, 2018.

I tend to keep away from raw black metal because some bands within the genre disguise their lack of musical understanding and instrumental competency under the term “raw”. I’ve heard quite a bit of this so called “raw” black metal in which has some of the most amateur shit you will ever hear in black metal and music in general. Indeed, amateur is the ideal word to describe many bands residing under the disguise of “raw” black metal. It’s that one man, homemade MRE version of metal that is just a can of Campbell’s chicken noodle soup or a Bridgford Cinnamon bun; bland and fucking disgusting. Also the fact that most of them do the Darkthrone thing doesn’t help in terms of their identity; and if you’re wondering what the Darkthrone “thing” is, take a brief listen to Under a Funeral Moon or Transylvanian Hunger. However, to my surprise I have discovered two acts within the genre that have a considerable degree of talent that is for the most part absent given the bands I have heard thus far; most of which are so irrelevant I can’t even remember their names. All I’m aware of is, most of what I have encountered under the moniker is an endless lacuna of pungent regurgitation; some paradox isn’t it.

Pa Vesh En of Belarus and Temple Moon of the United Kingdom joined forces with the ever growing Iron Bonehead Records to compose 10 tracks of occult madness. 38 minutes of magic and malice awaits the listener on this split LP. This endeavor is by far the one of best raw black metal records to have emerged in more than 2 decades. Pa Vesh En and Temple Moon have delivered something so foul that I have no choice but to categorize this oblation with the excellence that is Ieschure, whom had released The Shadow in 2015 and whom also reside within the haunted realms of Iron Bonehead Records; why am I not surprised? The Pa Vesh En side of the split has a thick, claustrophobic, murky sound that truly seizes the entrancing air of enchantment being output during mixture of the lofi drums, blurring guitars, wailing and gaping screams. Melody is given a more than decent amount of accentuation during Pa Vesh En’s portion and does a noteworthy job of effectuating the flow of the ritual in practice. I find Pa Vesh En’s methodology to be somewhat unorthodox, a diversion from archetypal constraints given the incorporation of a relatively doomy pace on the track “Damnation and the Witch”. I did notice “Last Episode” has a very post-core riff during the beginning at the 1:16 time stamp; it sounded like something I’ve heard before; by the way, who is that I hear saying "something strong"?, is that Lilita Arndt of Ieschure?, it surely sounds so. However, it worked well and did give an added punch to the sound and miscellany of the record. 

Temple Moon’s side is vastly different from Pa Vesh En’s, both in vocal output and overall sound. And yes, Temple Moon does the Darkthrone thing, but with loud vocal screams and the added effect of echoing tones, dark synthesizers and acoustic guitar interventions that can be pointed out on songs such as “Ceremonial Decay” and “Maze of Decrepit Trees”. That is my definition of drawing influence as opposed to copying, thus leaving no room for individuality and improvisation. The contrast in sound is very strong compared to Pa Vesh En’s side; one can hear the snare drum and screams being brusquely enunciated with a greater sense of lucidity. With Temple Moon I get the sense that this is a much more sincere and stalwart black metal act than most newly formed. This is attributed to the way in which the music is played and arranged; it beckons a more serious, earnest and critical musical conscious than that of a plethora of new entities and older ones that come across as nonsensical. Temple Moon gives a whole-hearted performance on the split and does well at providing soothing landscapes filled with inordinate screaming vocals. It is a worthwhile experience listening to the performance of both bands featured on this collaborative effort. Iron Bonehead have found 2 more great bands that have showcased diligence when making underground black metal that has been challenged only by a small quantity of bands of the breed. 

Highlights:

• "The Murderer Instinct"
• "Damnation and The Witch"
• "Last Episode"
• "Ceremonial Decay"
• "Maze of Decrepit Trees" 

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 21, 2019.

Evil hail from Japan, but don't think of friendly tourists who smile permanently while taking nonstop pictures. These guys are in a bad mood. Their kind of blackened speed/thrash metal rumbles down the road without being interested in any extraordinary features. Evil have the guts to concentrate on pure metal, although this is not the most vehement record of the genre. The fourth track, "Yatsuzaki" for example, offers an almost melodic solo. Generally speaking, the guitars are cutting rather than harmonious. This is not the soundtrack for the birthday party of a seven-year-old girl. Okay, if Godzilla has a daughter of this age, she might be an exception, but I don't want to digress.

The simple compositions shape a very homogeneous work. Nobody needs to fear any kind of bad surprises. The Japanese horde has found its niche without taking care that many bands have already exploited this niche beforehand. The roots of this Rites of Evil can be traced back to Bathory's famous debut. But for those who are less interested in historical milestones, one can say that Evil's work can be compared with outputs of groups that prefer a simplistic, rather minimalist approach that tries to pick the best of different worlds. While the guitar work builds a bridge to the old days of speed metal, for example during "Sword of Stupa", the raw barking of the lead vocalist has nothing in common with the high-pitched screaming of the early vocal artists. His pretty monotonous, sometimes nearly punk-like voice does not push the music on a higher level, but it also does no harm.

Evil do not lack energy and power, but it is also true that they have not been able to pen one or two earworms that keep sticking in the listener's mind immediately. Some riffs shake up the audience while evoking associations to (early) Venom or lesser known bands such as Quintessenz from Germany. The opening riff of "Eternal Hell", the ninth track, points into this direction, but at the end of the day, this mid-tempo stomper does not exceed standard requirements. It seems as if these dudes are not excessively talented in terms of song-writing. On the other hand, they avoid asinine, inappropriate sections and I am sure that they have the heart at the right place. As much as I hate to say it, this alone is not enough for the creation of a genre classic. I miss songs that develop their own personality.

The production scores with a certain sharpness. The guitars dominate a slightly sinister sound that finds the right mix between transparency and a certain amount of filth. Thus, the guys have no serious technical problems. They just need to put more effort into their compositions. Easier said than done (my first song is still not finished, since 1985 I am working on it...) Therefore, I am happy that at least this review is complete now.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10