Review by JD on April 16, 2016.

I said it a few times over the last few months, and I am going to say it again Belgium is becoming the new hotbed for black metal. With an artistry that is painted with brimstone and accented with unholy complex ideas it is the new devil’s music place.

Signs of Darkness are a brutal example of melodic black metal that encompasses old school metal melodies and stabbing vocals that are a pure demonic delight to make their own brand of satanic prayers. Knowing just how to bring the atmosphere of their music to the forefront, the band succeeds where others fall flat on their faces and dies a beaten and tortured poser’s death.

I happen to like the whole thing, holding up such tracks as 'Suffer the Cold' and 'Sin' as prime examples of how black metal should be done. Only drawback to the album is the odd time the mix becomes murky at the apex of an album, a little more detail of separation could have had this album even better than what it is – but at it stands now, still one fucking hell of an album.

I can’t stress enough how good Signs of Darkness The Age of Decay is, you need to hear the album for yourself and I guarantee that most metallers will like it. My only other comment is that my next vacation just might be to Belgium to see some of these bands live and in person.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

Review by Denis on August 2, 2003.

If I'm basing my judgment on the cover art, an intergalactic dog warrior, this is not a very serious album, so once again, does humor belong in music? On the other hand, if you look at the songs title, they make you think you're dealing with a serious prog metal CD.

So what is it actually? Well this is more serious than my last album I reviewed (Method of Destruction's "The Rebel You Love to Hate") but not to the point to be considered a deep down prog metal opus either. To be more specific, I would rather call it a heavy metal album with a progressive song writing and some kind of a space opera concept.

The main musical direction are short compositions beating at mid-fast pace with some pretty intricate structure but bound to be good driving music as well. Complex and catchy too, definitely a kicker you know where... My feet just kept following the beat in happy harmony. "Traveller" is not too serious or extreme in any way, shape or form. Not as fast as a power album, thank God! Only on one song 'The Final Gambit' is included some double kick but far from me to make you believe that the drumming sucks because it doesn't! It's great and pounds loud enough for my taste and forms with the bass parts a hell of a good tight rhythm section brought upfront by good production work. The driver here is the awesome guitar work in whatever style or form it is used. Clean vocals reminiscent to uncle Ozzy with a lower pitch are being used for story telling, which by the way suits the music and style perfectly. Amongst the best compositions are: 'High Passage/Low Passage,' 'Asteroid Belts,' 'Vagr Theme/Confrontation(Genetic Prophecy)' and the much doom sounding 'Vagr Moon.'

Bottom Line: "Traveller" should keep you alive and kickin'.

Categorical Rating Breakdown:

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Originality: 7
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Denis on August 2, 2003.

If I'm basing my judgment on the cover art, an intergalactic dog warrior, this is not a very serious album, so once again, does humor belong in music? On the other hand, if you look at the songs title, they make you think you're dealing with a serious prog metal CD.

So what is it actually? Well this is more serious than my last album I reviewed (Method of Destruction's "The Rebel You Love to Hate") but not to the point to be considered a deep down prog metal opus either. To be more specific, I would rather call it a heavy metal album with a progressive song writing and some kind of a space opera concept.

The main musical direction are short compositions beating at mid-fast pace with some pretty intricate structure but bound to be good driving music as well. Complex and catchy too, definitely a kicker you know where... My feet just kept following the beat in happy harmony. "Traveller" is not too serious or extreme in any way, shape or form. Not as fast as a power album, thank God! Only on one song 'The Final Gambit' is included some double kick but far from me to make you believe that the drumming sucks because it doesn't! It's great and pounds loud enough for my taste and forms with the bass parts a hell of a good tight rhythm section brought upfront by good production work. The driver here is the awesome guitar work in whatever style or form it is used. Clean vocals reminiscent to uncle Ozzy with a lower pitch are being used for story telling, which by the way suits the music and style perfectly. Amongst the best compositions are: 'High Passage/Low Passage,' 'Asteroid Belts,' 'Vagr Theme/Confrontation(Genetic Prophecy)' and the much doom sounding 'Vagr Moon.'

Bottom Line: "Traveller" should keep you alive and kickin'.

Categorical Rating Breakdown:

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Originality: 7
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Alex on July 21, 2020.

Graven and Kvasir of the occult black metal monolith Abhor really can do no wrong. Going forth with their latest formation Scolopendra, the duo provides us with some horror themed death metal on their debut Those of the Catacombs. Ever wonder what it would sound like if you took the first wave of black metal and modified it with death metal riffs and the lauded Italian occult doom metal synth approach?, then this is your answer. A cold, eerie, yet provocative and violent old school strain of occult metal goodness. This is one for the vinyl, make no mistake about it, Those of the Catacombs is one of 2020's finest death metal gifts to the subgenre and its residents. Plus, when coming from 2 elders of the black arts, why would you even question its authenticity and quality.

Those of the Catacombs bathes the listener in a flourish of brilliant musicianship all round. Whether it be the drumming, riffing, vocals or the undercurrents of keyboard synth on select tracks ('First-Class Coffin'), you'll feel as though you've been swimming in a lake of the genre's best and most valuable wine. Blown away!!, by the muscularity and scholastic framework of the music to be heard on Those of the Catacombs; masterclass embryonic death metal that will have countless awed at the atmosphere and rapine precision of the effort as a whole.

It’s easy to get pulled into Those of the Catacombs, especially through the no-nonsense approach adopted on the album. There are no pointless interludes or 2-minute buildups to songs besides 'The Smell of Cadavers' (that excels at evincing a malefic milieu), only an in and out mentality is put into effect. 'Exhumed Corpse Exaltation' somewhat paints an image of what's to be expected once you decide to thoroughly engage the music. Mostly mid to fast paced with the occasional tempo drag used to develop the atmosphere.

A candid mix of doom, black and death metal riffing directs the tonality of most songs while the drumming tears into a blend of thrash and doom metal territory ever so often. The vocals on the other hand are not the typical tummy growl, instead they're more of a Dagon (Inquisition) styled throat rasp that gives songs like 'First-Class Coffin' and 'Tormenting Dying Nuns' a real menacing, pestilential and sinister vibe. In fact, the latter, more notably possesses a temperature that is plainly put, evil. Via the doomier half with the keyboards emerging on the song, the atmosphere painted by Scolopendra takes a darker descent and plunges Those of the Catacombs into a domain of increased hedonism.

There really is no rest for the wicked in a literal sense here; as progression on Those of the Catacombs introduces 'Priest's Blood Soup' that firstly, flaunts the most disgusting song title on the record and has the only death metal growl that arrived as a refreshing bit of vocal contrast. And as a reminder, has tiny traces of Abhor's and even Disharmony's DNA, that are given heightened emphasis on the final track 'Crypt of Perversion'.

Those of the Catacombs is a sincere ode to old death metal that is somewhat refined through a first wave black metal approach, looming synth sections and vocals representative of a spectral being. This merged dichotomy of embryonic black and death metal could have only been undertaken with success by members of a band the likes of Abhor.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10