Review by Felix on March 31, 2025.

Black metal has its very own features and challenges. In this musical segment, it is not enough to record good compositions in order to release an outstanding album. The last album of Dark Funeral proves evidence in this context. The songs are cleverly constructed and I like most of them, but a few additional (and essential, if one wants to reach the highest level) components are missing to call it overwhelming. Outstanding black metal attacks on many fronts, music-wise as well as in terms of atmosphere, authenticity and spirituality. Well, one can replace "spirituality" with negativity or misanthropy, but somewhere in the intersection of these three terms, we will find what we are looking for.

Heresiarch, the first regular full-length of Finland's Noenum, does not hold the most impressive music I have ever heard. Its mid-tempo and almost soft form of black metal is okay, no more, no less. By the way, is it allowed to use the word "soft" in order to describe a black metal album? However, the album scores with authenticity. These guys have inhaled the essence of the music they play. Okay, maybe this is no surprise when it comes to a band from Suomi. But the fact that the material reminds me of Barathrum's "Okkult", another pretty calm yet very solid album, is another positive aspect. So do not forget to check Barathrum's work from the year 2000, if you fall in love with Heresiarch – its iconic cover does not promise too much.

But let's get back to Noenum's output. Indeed, you better do not expect a storm of iron black metal. Yet this is no reason to cry. Songs like "Witch Of The Ancient Night" shine with their morbid, unnerving guitars that drag the listener in an uncomfortable surrounding - and as soon as the guitars deliver a smoother flow, the voice sets in. It expresses the loneliness of a lost soul that tells us its final words. Sometimes the distorted screams seem to be almost isolated from the rest of the band. Anyway, the guys of Noenum are able to create a certain depth in their songs. Honestly speaking, they should not use blatantly striking song titles like "Gospel Of Slime And Rot", their music deserves a better, less direct, less primitive and more enigmatic labelling.

Now it is time for a warning. If you do not have much time, it is better to listen to an old classic (what about "Hell Awaits", "Panzer Division Marduk" or "Svartalvheim"?) than to the album I am speaking about. Heresiarch is no album that shocks right from the beginning. Instead of a "wow"-effect, the album grows slowly but steadily with every new round. Some slightly Burzum-inspired, meditative yet not ambient instrumental sections need some time to spread their full aroma. Thus, you better give this work a try on a lonely evening with nothing else to do. It will be rewarding, at least to a certain extent. At first, I thought Heresiarch as a whole will drown in the dirty pond of mediocrity, but I know better now. Only the closer, a moronic, toothless creation with a touch of dark metal or even gothic, must be considered as an experiment gone wrong. Just listen to the harmonic vocals, they are a bad joke. Nevertheless, I have no doubts concerning the integrity of the Finns. Enough written: all in all, this is a good album. Inter alia I appreciate the fact that its riffs create an adequate atmosphere, because in view of this, keyboards do not show up here. It's not only the opening sequence of "Blazing Shadows", where the guitars transport a vile vibration. So yes, the album delivers some features one can demand in terms of black metal.

Rating: 7.2 out of 10

Review by JD on April 2, 2009.

Seeing the cover of this album intrigued me all to hell, and put a smile on to this reviewer's face. Putting the disk on was another thing all together. Oath's "Devil's Victim" made me feel very conflicted within the bowels of my own metal soul here... what in the hell is going on?

Lumbering out of Italy, Dezzo Death (Bass god) has come out with a side project from his usual tenure he has going on with the mostly amazing Sidus Tenebrarum. After hearing and reviewing his main bands release, I was more than interested in hearing just what it was that he had come out with this time. I was all at the same time, feeling so happy and greatly disappointed.

Oath's music itself, showed great power and intense musicality through out this six song outing into the pits of Black/Death metal modes. Strong old school styled black tinged lyrics and uncompromising bludgeoning riffs made for a intense listen. Each song is pretty damned good in of itself, but the weakness comes directly from how the whole album had been produced and recorded.

The album was almost irritatingly tinny sounding, with the drums that seem to be almost overly recorded and set far too high in the mixes throughout. There was also seriously bad separation between every instrument used and even the vocals... It was pretty badly done, but I was glad that the music itself was not totally bad. It made it nearly impossible to make a full opinion done, but I did like it mostly, despite it all.

To making it all simple as hell to understand the whole damned thing. I did really like Oath and everything about these Italians are based upon how talented musically they are, I was not liking the recorded aspect of it. It is sort of bitter sweet... I love rough recordings, just not this damned rough.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 2 (for the tinny, almost irritating production aspects)
Originality: 5
Overall: 6

Rating: 5.2 out of 10