Review by Michael on December 29, 2020.

The Austrians Transilvania make us happy just in time for the beginning of the year with their second album Of Sleep and Death. Their first album The Night of the Nights was produced a bit rough still but what we have here has changed quite a bit. But not only in terms of production, but also compositionally, the band, which has now grown from a trio to a quartet, has stepped up a notch. This is true for the cover as well as for the music. The cover features an ecclesiastical image (Heaven, Earth and Hell) inspired by the Middle Ages. I don't know if it's an original or if the band had the cover made but in any case it's a very lovingly designed image that reminds me a bit of Aosoth or Malokarpatan.

But now away with the externals, let's get to the pudel's core. While on the first album mainly old school black metal could be heard, here mainly more melodic pieces in the style of Tribulation have crept in. All mixed with a pinch of old Dissection, Emperor or Nifelheim and some classic metal in the style of Mercyful Fate and the finished product is a pretty varied album, (which at least to me) really opened up after repeated listening.

Sometimes the guitar riffs sound quite dramatic, for example at the beginning of 'Lycantrophic Chant', which develops into a quite catchy black metal piece. 'Underneath Dying Stars' is a track that could have been written by one or another of the bands mentioned in the mid-90s, a real killer that will make the heart of any black metal fan even blacker. 'Vault of Evening' is also a track you should have heard. It is incredibly varied and changes from a jangly black metal piece to a very melodic midtempo stomper that Tribulation couldn't do any better.

I can well imagine that the band will still attract attention in the coming months and it will be completely justified! Give the band and the album a chance, they deserve it! And if you like the album - their first one will be reissued on vinyl as well, according to the label's press info. Too bad for me, who doesn't have his record player anymore.....

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Michael on June 22, 2021.

That was fast. After last year's sophomore album World Sacrifice, the three Frisians (to quote Nis Randers) are back with their third album Hades Unleashed. On one hand, you are happy when a band you like to listen to releases another album so quickly, but on the other hand, such a quick fix can also backfire. Let's see how it behaves in this case.

First of all, let's take a look at the cover. This was designed by Paolo Girardi and does not foretell anything good. Agony, torment, horror, gloomy atmosphere - the first 'plus' point is here already.

Musically, it starts directly with 'Aithon's Hunger'. A few drumbeats without any banter move into fast drums, hectic riffs and brutal vocals - but without drifting into chaos. 'Necromanteion' is a very catchy song that starts pretty groovy and stays that way despite some faster interludes. The riffing reminds me of Death during their "Leprosy" phase. Pretty casual spoken word parts are used and the guitar solo in the middle of the song is a "bow" to Iron Maiden. 'Wrath Of The Gods (Furor Divinus)' starts with a teutonic thrash riff á la "Endless Pain", only to turn into a brute death metal piece right away. Death's ("Spiritual Healing") also comes to my mind as a reference. 'Threefold Agony' is a very catchy mid-tempo stomper that invites you to take a breath in order to be ready for 'Empyrean'. Full brute force of the band comes out again here; a fast song with impressive, dramatic riffs and firing drums which can be as well said about the following track 'Crypt Of The Gorgon', which comes across a bit punky from the rhythm of it. 'Nefarious, I' starts Celtic Frost-like (even a Uuugh!!! can be heard) and it is pretty noticeable that the band uses slightly disharmonic sounds (Voivod says hello....) but that can be heard in 'Aithon's Hunger' already. The final track is 'Procession To Tartarus', which starts slowly creeping in with mantra chanting and sounds quite vicious due to its doomy instrumentation. I don't want to keep coming up with any band comparisons, but I'm reminded of Celtic Frost here also and once in a while and in the further course of good old Bolt Thrower. Very cool!

My conclusion is that Temple Of Dread have created a pretty strong album that in my eyes (ears) is a bit more aggressive and uncompromising than its predecessor. The tracks are more complex and hateful and also Jen's voice sounds angrier than before. The disc was produced at Soundlodge Studio by drummer Jörg Uken, who has also worked for Anvil, Sinister, God Dethroned, Obscenity or Slaughterday, among others. There are no failures to complain in here, superb job as a producer and as a musician!!! If the next album will again be such a big hit I just like to say "hurry up"!!!

Rating: 9 out of 10 lugworms