Review by Brexaul on January 2, 2021.

Don’t judge a book by its cover, says the well-known proverb, but oh boy the common folk is wrong about this one. Beneath this extraordinary haunting piece of artwork by Mariusz Lewandowski hides an equally great musical masterpiece, a slight but very impressive step forward compared to the already fantastic The White Goddess of 2013.

So, Atlantean Kodex is back, six years after the album that allowed them to break through the underground scene and it with great joy that I discovered that they managed to further refine their sound to a point that The Course of Empire sounds the natural progress of a great band that carefully studied their next step and never overestimated their capabilities based on the hype that surrounded them. And a much-justified hype since all their releases are characterized by unparalleled quality both in regards to songwriting and the general presentation. Look at the double LP presentation, the inlay, the drawings, their lyrics, everything is top quality work.

Musically, not much has changed since their previous effort, but everything sounds better, the guitars sound thicker and more confident, the rhythm section is sturdy and pounding and the melodies and emotion are everywhere. They managed to present a huge wall of old-school yet very up-to-date sound that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of their unique songwriting. The epic doom metal of Solstice, Bathory (with hints and some easily recognizable nods to early Manowar) unravels in all its glory in a very ambitious album (both lyrically and aesthetically) in the 62 minutes of its duration. Markus Becker sounds even better this time around and the vocals are full of harmonies that further enhance his performance. There is a ton of emotion in every song and it is very interesting to see how the band manages to balance out the lyrical moments with the more primitive aspect of their songwriting, everything done tastefully and with a clear vision in mind. The album is slow, very heavy, dare I say ”darker” compared to anything the band has done so far, but there are hints of aggression here and there that make the overall experience easier to follow this time around and I believe this is where the evolution of the band is most apparent.

There are songs here like 'Chariots' with some fantastic clean guitar passages or 'People of the Moon' (or anything really) that all their “influences” would kill to include on their back catalogue and it is impressive how this band manages to incorporate those influences and filter them through their own characteristic sound. I believe the only flaw that one could argue is that the album is fairly long and the songs are 7+ minutes in their majority, but whoever spends his time listening to the album with a booklet in hand, will never notice how 62 minutes go by.

A true masterpiece, one of the albums that should create an army of new worshippers and along with Eternal Champion one of the 2 truly GREAT bands of traditional epic heavy metal. We are very lucky that such works see the light of day and are embraced by big labels and fans alike, as classic heavy metal really and urgently needs a new generation of heroes to look up to.

Favourite track: Chariots

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Brexaul on January 2, 2021.

Don’t judge a book by its cover, says the well-known proverb, but oh boy the common folk is wrong about this one. Beneath this extraordinary haunting piece of artwork by Mariusz Lewandowski hides an equally great musical masterpiece, a slight but very impressive step forward compared to the already fantastic The White Goddess of 2013.

So, Atlantean Kodex is back, six years after the album that allowed them to break through the underground scene and it with great joy that I discovered that they managed to further refine their sound to a point that The Course of Empire sounds the natural progress of a great band that carefully studied their next step and never overestimated their capabilities based on the hype that surrounded them. And a much-justified hype since all their releases are characterized by unparalleled quality both in regards to songwriting and the general presentation. Look at the double LP presentation, the inlay, the drawings, their lyrics, everything is top quality work.

Musically, not much has changed since their previous effort, but everything sounds better, the guitars sound thicker and more confident, the rhythm section is sturdy and pounding and the melodies and emotion are everywhere. They managed to present a huge wall of old-school yet very up-to-date sound that perfectly encapsulates the feeling of their unique songwriting. The epic doom metal of Solstice, Bathory (with hints and some easily recognizable nods to early Manowar) unravels in all its glory in a very ambitious album (both lyrically and aesthetically) in the 62 minutes of its duration. Markus Becker sounds even better this time around and the vocals are full of harmonies that further enhance his performance. There is a ton of emotion in every song and it is very interesting to see how the band manages to balance out the lyrical moments with the more primitive aspect of their songwriting, everything done tastefully and with a clear vision in mind. The album is slow, very heavy, dare I say ”darker” compared to anything the band has done so far, but there are hints of aggression here and there that make the overall experience easier to follow this time around and I believe this is where the evolution of the band is most apparent.

There are songs here like 'Chariots' with some fantastic clean guitar passages or 'People of the Moon' (or anything really) that all their “influences” would kill to include on their back catalogue and it is impressive how this band manages to incorporate those influences and filter them through their own characteristic sound. I believe the only flaw that one could argue is that the album is fairly long and the songs are 7+ minutes in their majority, but whoever spends his time listening to the album with a booklet in hand, will never notice how 62 minutes go by.

A true masterpiece, one of the albums that should create an army of new worshippers and along with Eternal Champion one of the 2 truly GREAT bands of traditional epic heavy metal. We are very lucky that such works see the light of day and are embraced by big labels and fans alike, as classic heavy metal really and urgently needs a new generation of heroes to look up to.

Favourite track: Chariots

Rating: 10 out of 10

Review by Alex on December 28, 2018.

If you’re a fan of the black/death metal underground scene, and are easily drawn to the ugly vocals, sharp riffs, primal drumming and raw production that comprises most of what exists there, then Goathammer’s Ceremony of Morbid Destruction will satiate your appetite. Though those elements are all featured on the record, there has been a considerably high amount of improvement by Goathammer in the song-writing department since the release of XIX Pentacles, XCII Legions... in 2014 and their self-titled demo in 2016. Those first-fruits were unambiguous to some extent given that they were rarely caught flirting with other influences. The 1st and 2nd wave black metal framework mixed with a considerable amount of thrash metal rarely left room for interference by external genre defining additions, even with the small hints at epic doom metal, the record was still overwhelmingly driven by 1st and 2nd wave black metal. Ceremony of Morbid Destruction takes a rather confident step in re-imagining the Goathammer sound by adding longer segments of black/death metal and a couple of squeezed-in surprises. However; the band’s early thrash metal and black metal tendencies are still evidently dominant on this latest recording, as can be heard from the first track titled “Arcane Destruction Spell” and the following songs.

There is one noticeable difference occurring between the “Arcane Destruction Spell” and the rest of the record. That which happens to be a suddenly heavier/denser sound bass-wise as it was not the case from the beginning. Not sure if that was a recording mistake but the contrast can be identified with ease. That slight change in audible clarity came as a welcome one as the now discernible bass seemed to have given the record that oomph it needed. There’s a surprise riff at the 3:14 mark of “Invoking the Sadistic Spirits” that echoes the one of the leading riffs on ”The Scream of the Iron Messiah” by Black Death (USA) on their 1984 self-titled record; not sure if it was used as a nod the vets but it certainly was a smooth lick to hear in a different genre. Ceremony of Morbid Destruction takes a break from the speedy path for some mid-paced catchy grooves and epic moments that can be heard at the closing of “Perverted Blasphemy”. Vocally there seems to have been a small change whereby the barks now appear more fitting for the”war metal” style of drumming that has existed throughout the band’s history but now flaunted more conspicuously with the aid of war-like structured riffs. The drumming and guitar riffs fit together like bullet and chamber, the intensity of both elements clash conveniently, thereby serving a sick secretion of scorn. And with a louder mix to each instrument you get a heavy blast of Goathammer’s flourishing fury. 

Lots of bands come to mind upon hearing Goathammer’s Ceremony of Morbid Destruction. There’s the previously mentioned Black Death along with Bathory, Inquisition (Colombia) and a fair bit of Goatpenis, Satanic Warmaster and Goatmoon. Thus said, it’s hard to go wrong with this one, as there is something bound to appeal to most lovers of extreme underground black/death metal. Being signed to Hells Headbangers Records, Ceremony of Morbid Destruction is the ideal way to give a favorable lasting impression in terms of a full-fledged debut LP. 

Mutilation by nails/Wielding malefic machinery:

• “Invoking the Sadistic Spirits” 
• ”Perverted Blasphemy”
• ”Astral Crucifixion”
• ”Sempiternal Holocaust”

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 6, 2019.

Do Skonu originate from the Ukraine. I have never been there, but I like the national flag of this country. Two horizontal stripes, blue and yellow, symbolize the clear sky over the Ukrainian core fields. Furthermore, the history of this country does not lack of tragic events. The Holodomor, deliberately organized by Stalin's regime, claimed the lives of millions of people. The Second World War showed its cruelty as well, not only because of the fact that some Ukrainians supported Hitler, while some of their compatriots fought as partisans against the Wehrmacht. Finally, the tactic of scorched earth was used by both the Germans and the Russians during their stay in the Ukraine.

Maybe one must take these things into consideration in order to understand the music of Do Skonu. Великое пробуждение среди великого сна is full of melancholic sequences, but it scores with harsh parts as well. In its rather calm moments, the compositions give you the feeling of hiking alone through billowing corn fields. Additionally, the Ukrainian pioneers Drudkh have left its mark on the sound of Do Skonu, for example at the dreary beginning of the second track. I'm fine with that, because Do Skonu take the best of Drudkh's sometimes ambivalent way of proceeding and combine it with their own compositional approach. Honestly speaking, I think that they are better song-writers than their role models. The leads are always compelling and develop a mesmerizing effect in their best moments, the songs are neither too long nor too short and the fairly depressive aura of the album ensures the typical darkness what black metal maniacs are looking for. Not to mention the creaking, compressed voice and the strange language that fit like a glove. They add an obscure touch in a successful manner.

It is therefore almost logical that the album grows constantly with every new spin. Despite its sometimes-wistful approach, the arrangements have nothing to do with suicidal black metal or any other form of namby-pamby stuff. Instead of whining all the time like a little girl that has lost her doll, the band stands with both feet on the incrusted ground of true black metal. External influences do not show up - and I don't miss them. Misanthropy and bitterness stand shoulder to shoulder and the selective integration of keyboards, for example in the sixth track, has the only function to add an atmospheric touch. Last but not least, the band varies the tempo successfully. Blast beats or other forms of ultra-fast ways of destruction do not occur, but pretty quick rhythms play an important role. The closer is almost a high-speed bullet. Damned, this album is surprisingly strong. I cannot find a single thing that I do not like. All songs, the instrumentation, the rhythmic approach, the voice - everything is solid or (much) better. Guess I get sick.

In view of the grandeur of the musical content, it is a little bit sad that Iron Bonehead chose a rather minimalist design for the vinyl release. No lyrics, no printed inner sleeve, no colored vinyl. That's no drama, because the music stands - as always - in the center of this release. But fans of little additional gimmicks will be disappointed. However, this is an output that I highly recommend. Well, its rather dark production does not score with a wall of sound, but it supports the musical approach in a pretty convincing way. So, open your heart, your mind, your wallet and, last but not least, the door to the Ukrainian underground in order to get in touch with Великое пробуждение среди великого сна. Great songs such as "Abzu" or "Black Soot" will reward your spirit of discovery.

Rating: 8.1 out of 10