Review by Mario on May 13, 2008.

"For me the image is the band. It makes the music. Bands who have no image are dead. It destroys the feeling of the music." [Ornias, Mourning the Ancient interview]

Horns up!

This is my first encounter with Swedish Svartsyn' black art and all I know is they've been around since 1993, releasing albums with the help of very underground record labels. Only from reading various reviews have I learned their sound became more polished on this 2007 production.

Really?

As for me, the overall Necromorbus studio's final effect is devastating and the achieved rawness is of first class quality. As a reference point I reveal that bands like Watain, Funeral Mist or Nominion recorded their albums there, as well. It is as good as when I first got myself acquainted with Bathory's 80s albums, two Hades releases, or even Burzum initial works. No shit! There are few spine-electrifying moments like, for example, in the track titled 'Sanctus Satanas,’ or the middle section from ‘Tehom.’ The abyss-like spacious vocals must be coming out from the farthest levels of inferno, that's for sure. Here is no place for any virtuosity, no solos; the guitars expand hellish atmosphere thru riffs trance-like repeat-ness, and without using any keyboard wimpy notes it is a big accomplishment! I like the subterranean reverberations heard in drums excellent work.

Bestial shadows represented in simple but effective black/white/grey engravings make the cover representation interesting enough to grab this killer 40+ minutes long material.

For the maximum effect this black metal release should be experienced in total blackness!

Categorical Rating Breakdown:

Musicianship: 8
Atmosphere: 9
Originality: 7
Production: 8
Overall: 8

Rating: 8 out of 10