Review by Felix on October 27, 2021.

Australia's wealthy underground resources are overwhelming. Hunters Moon appeared on the surface in 2009. Gifted with a solid portion of musicianship, they attacked with the here presented six tracks. Well, if one subtracts the intro, the outro and the cover version, three tracks remain and they constitute heart and soul of this output.

Hunters Moon, whose line-up consists of (ex-) members of Denouncement Pyre, combine battle lust, inexorability and a pinch of desperation. As soon as the music starts, a blood red dawn appears in front of the inner eye and nonchalance is just a distant memory. The waiver of high speed fosters the cruel element which is inherent in the system of Hunters Moon and the focus on a relatively small number of riffs leads to almost hypnotizing soundscapes. A slightly bitter taste comes up, while the duo, which gets support from a session drummer, draws the listener slowly but steadily deeper into the songs. In particular 'A Light In The Abyss', which seems to be heavily influenced by some mid-paced tracks of Immortal, and the title track, also equipped with a well-hung riff which has been imported from Blashyrkh, possess a high degree of negativity. The conjuring lead vocals complete the musical aura perfectly. This also goes for the third own regular track, which shows no signs of weakness as well.

No, the anti-religious artwork does not promise too much. The band has created a black, bubbling brew that leaves no room for hope or happiness. Unfortunately, the cover version of Angel Witch does not work. The Australian guys have made the wrong choice. "Baphomet" from the year 1978 may have lyrics that fit the concept of Hunters Moon, but its primitive line at the beginning, the uninspired chorus and the painfully outmoded solo serve as evidence that heavy metal was still in its infancy at the time of the original recording. On the positive side, this track does not hurt the profound blackness of the entire EP. It is just simply weaker than the remaining tracks.

The earthy, slightly filthy production makes clear that Hunters Moon did not have the intention to offer their material in a virtuoso manner. The more or less conventional song patterns confirm that the band members appreciate effective structures more than any kind of technical arrogance. Honestly, I like this mentality. Hence, I can recommend this disc with good conscience. Only these maniacs who think that "Transylvanian Hunger" lacked velocity will blame the here presented output for its lameness. Yet I guess this is only a small minority. However, too bad that the formation never released a successor. Fortunately, we can comfort ourselves with the fantastic albums of Denouncement Pyre.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10