Estrangement - Belong Beneath [DEMO] (2013)

I've occasionally commented in the past on how funeral doom so often traipses too closely between the paradigms of crushing sadness and effortless ennui, and will readily admit that even some of my favorite 'pure' products in this medium can be tiresome when not in a proper mindset. Australians Estrangement have addressed this shortcoming by composing a cacophony of suffering cellos, sluggish droning distortion and haunted rasps that places a huge emphasis on the 'funeral' half of the equation, while letting the death/doom components serve as this raw, primordial landscape across which the more atmospheric swells ebb and flow with so much spirit-sapping drama. Belong Beneath is a three-track cassette demo, simply but nicely packaged, and though its brevity might rob us of getting a 'bigger picture' of the band's capabilities, it gives us something to be compelled towards. I was going to say 'excited', but, then, that's not exactly the point of music like this.

Two of these three tunes fill out the predictable 8+ minute duration used throughout the niche, but they do so with a lot of class. Spaced out, minimalistic, drudging chords set a backdrop for the heavy use of organs and strings, dry but throbbing bass notes, and there are even little hints of jazzy, progressive rock picking that took me by surprise in "Disentanglement (from sound and mind)". The drums are the sort of sparse, raw bedrock you might be accustomed to from similar bands, really splaying out and deconstructing your standard doom meter that every individual strike of a snare or tom is felt to its fullest, though you get a bit more of a tribal imperative in "Infinitesimal Spark" where the fills are busier. I suppose that, for the most part, that track creates more of a consistent doom metal vibe, but it too segues into some interesting keyboard whirls and a melancholic haze of harmony which brightens the din of the opening moments despite the torn throat howling along to them. The sandwiched "Interlude" is also interesting, because it's mournful fusion of funeral parlor lounge pianos and strings crashes along like a sepulchral vaudeville with occasional growls.

I will say that the demo, while not overpoweringly produced in terms of its guitar tones, vocals and drums, did not release me from its dirge-spell for the 20-ish minutes, and that's a testament to the creativity implied here. The riffs, as bare as they are structurally, are not repeated ad nauseum unto oblivion so that you become comfortable or tired, and even though the three tracks are largely streamlined instrumentally, sticking with a handful of sounds and interpreting them in a handful of Romantic, rotting ways, there was a sense of adventure and the unexpected here which is so often lacking in the form. The melodies and the chords aren't incredibly memorable unto themselves, but Belong Beneath certainly inspires curiosity as to what they might pull off on a lengthier debut album, which this sonic niche lends itself to. I just hope that the sense of exploration I felt listening through this will be further expanded upon, and the Australians won't shy away from delving even higher into the atmospheric envelope while maintaining those heartstring-snapping fundamental growls and crashing, Cyclopean chords that define its parent genre.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://estrangement.bandcamp.com/

Gravsahl - When Everything Fades [DEMO] (2011)

When Everything Fades is the second demo available solely from Germany's Gravsahl, who last year issued an impressive split recording with Kreetur which I also reviewed. The bulk of the Gravsahl material from that release ("Of Apathy", "Of Sociopathy", "Of Depression") is incorporated here, for a total of nine tracks and nearly 44 minutes of content, making it more like a full-length than a sampling to anyone who has yet to experience this disturbing single man dream state. As one might expect, this is what we might dub a 'bedroom' black metal project. Gravsahl is partial to raw and ruddy production values, heavily processed guitars, programmed drums, walls of active ambient melodies and vocals that sound like an orthodox black metal icon being strung through a spatial wormhole of drab colors.

The idea here is obviously to stir other emotions than merely the primal occultism of the parent genre, but to cast a lucid, muted pallor of depression and beauty atop the grislier aesthetics. To this extent, the remainder of When Everything Fades (beyond the tracks I'd previously heard) is a clear success. Most of the tracks develop in the same direction, outside of the swelling pure ambient intro "A Desperate Move" or the outro "A Last Lament". Subtle atmospheres develop through passionate streams of ringing distortion, ebbing synthesizer and scratching rasps. There are constantly 2-3 things happening in the compositions, so you'll never feel the ennui that such exhibitions can often create, and Gravsahl shifts into multiple tempos through "Just One Step", "Shattered Existence", and "Burning My Last Bridge" which are simply delicious. I kept feeling the impression that this was '4ad' black metal, reminding me of groups like Cocteau Twins or (early) Lush if you replaced the female, ethereal vocals with snarling and channeled the guitars into a dire lock step.

Like the band's 2009 demo A Part of Nothing, this is enjoyable; ultimately superior. Simply cast all bright illusions of pleasantry aside and let yourself sink into its primitive textures and tones. It fits fluidly with the split material, as if the two halves were ever intended to conjoin into this one body. The material is free to download from the Gravsahl MySpace much like the prior output, and it might be about time that labels gave the project a listen. There is obviously still some development possible here: a few of the tunes sound samey and I'd like to hear a wider variety of synth pads, perhaps a dip into the unexpected from time to time, but this is never the less an effective fit of melancholy hovering over a gloomy, obscured landscape. Recommended to fans of ColdWorld, Lifelover, Burzum and so forth.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/gravsahl

Cruciamentum - Convocation of Crawling Chaos [DEMO] (2009)

Lately we've heard all manner of wretched, old school death metal resurfacing across the face of today's trend-heavy society, but I cannot say that this is an unwelcome shift in progress. Maybe its the fact that a whole new generation of metal fans are beginning to 'get it', or maybe it's just a cyclic byproduct of our cold and uncaring universe, but bands from all over like Decrepitaph, Innumerable Forms, Denial, Obliteration and Vasaeleth are starting to forge the way for the hideous rebirth of late 80s/early 90s sonic atrocity, often coupled with the benefit of today's denser production possibilities.

Cruciamentum is actually one of the best bands I've heard in this movement, a British act with members from another, similar styled (and better known) group called Grave Miasma. Tempering the morbid hostility of the eldest Incantation albums with the occasional war stomp of a Bolt Thrower or the sub-thrash outbreak of Consuming Impulse era Pestilence, their Convocation of Crawling Chaos demo is a true pleasure to experience, and it will only cost you 18 minutes of your life. Well, it's possible the cost might be higher, as the sound these men produce is so hopeless and deadening that existence beyond its playtime might be called to question. Vocalist D.L. is a mixed breed of Martin van Drunen, Karl Willets and Craig Pillard, and the ichor of his intonations blends like another instrument to the band's highly grim and subterranean atmospheres. The riffs here are extremely base and cavernous, but the band have a strong sense for songwriting elements, like breaking for atmosphere or rolling into a chug riff with HUGE bass at exactly the right moment, so their crude efforts do not evoke any semblance of ennui.

The "Intromantical Scream" is but a choir being near muted below the rush of dark ambient turmoil, before the drum fill heralds the Bolt Thrower-like crushing of "Deathless Ascension", bass so thick it is rattling off like machine-gun fire from the cockpit of a tank, all the while the steady verse riffs giving you the impression of sinking through a tarpit to an underworld of phantoms being butchered by oblivion. At around 1:00 the track takes a brief, thrashing spin which reminds of Pestilence, and later slows to a floe of sparse, death/doom chords while D.L.'s vocals resonate off the top. "Convocation of Crawling Chaos" picks the pace back up to chugging, hellish warfare, with a riff not unlike something you might find on the first two Obituary albums. The final track "Rotten Flesh Crucifix" is re-inserted and extended from the band's earlier, single track demo of the same, with a style much like the others but a little more melody by way of some primal, obscure 90s Swedish band, and a great synthesizer swell near the climax.

In a way, Cruciamentum are old hat, but the best kind of old hat, the one that everyone stares at as you head out for your morning coffee. Totally repressive, evil atmosphere that evinces no stray light, no hope and no future. If you were swallowed by an Elder God, and slowly waiting to be digested throughout eternity, tendrils writhing and stinging your flesh with bowel acids, this is the music you'd probably hear somewhere deep within your consciousness. No rewards will be given for innovation, although like many of these new creatures, the production is simply massive in a way that few of the older recordings could muster. What more can I add? Cthulhu F'tangh! IÄ! IÄ! IÄ Cthulhu!

Verdict: Win [8.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/cruciamentumuk

Norns - In Fog They Appear [DEMO] (2009)

In Fog They Appear was the initial 2005 demo of Finnish band Norns, given a facelift here to inaugurate the birth of Voldsom records in Germany. The three tracks of the demo have been remastered and repackaged with bleak, black and white photography that is only too accurate to the sounds within. Such is an honorable pursuit, and Voldsom has done an excellent job with this, hopefully the first of many such releases. The minimalist approach to the effort is highly appealing (if not entirely novel).

As for the contents, Norns plays an extremely straight form of raw, unsullied black metal that honors the traditions of the genre's great pioneers Darkthrone and Burzum, while channeling the cold landscapes of their native European winter through a repetition of desolate rhythms that are imbued with simplified, epic melodies. This is a harsh, stripped brand of black metal which shares more in common with its Norse forebears than most Finnish countrymen (though you could argue a vague similarity to several of Horna's works). It's not the most ambitious of sounds, but the use of actual drums (courtesy of Vulcan) places it far above many similar works. The band is rounded out by Full Destruction on guitars, and Behemoth performing bass and vocals. The vocals are of particular importance here, for Behemoth has an ungodly rasp which exemplifies this genre, like a hissing wind that speaks the voice of the ages, praising the emptiness and condemning the folly of mankind.

With three compositions totalling over 32 minutes of music, this is the sort of demo that one must assume some patience for. "Descent in the Black Night" is rather short for the form, at just over five minutes, and commences with a blast of timeless, tested grimness that feels as familiar as it does justice to the ripping hostility of a high speed blizzard. Yet the track does not play only to this aesthetic, as the melody after 1:00 is more forgiving, like a wreath of sorrow that surrounds you, to shelter and guide you from this dark boreal nightmare. "Supreme Goat Cult" is over 9 minutes in length, with a similar sadness in its opening, rime covered stream of godless, paralytic chords. Behemoth again shines like a steel blade in the night, his vocals wed in unholy matrimony to the thundering rhythms, transcending (or rather, descending) into the memory. At around 3 minutes, the track breaks down into a slower segment ala Darkthrone, and maintains this pace for some time, shifting into a glorious, late rhythm that rises like a fortress of frost against a barren, level plain. The title track is over 18 minutes in length, and creates a similar saga to the first two tracks, only there is far more repetition, as it meanders through both faster paced and slower sections, my favorite of which is the storming sorrow at the 7-minute mark.

This leads me to perhaps the only complaint I can launch against a band so pure to their chosen form: there are a few points at which the repetition of the rhythms does not support the strength of demo's foundations. These largely occur during "In Fog They Appear", but a minute or two could also have been trimmed from "Supreme Goat Cult". Note that none of the actual riffs are bad, in fact they are beautiful in their simplicity, and for the most part the band never tries your patience. But a little 'trimming of the fat' would have made for a more punctual and effective demo release, still capturing the hopelessness the band excels at. In other words, it could have been just as effective at 24 minutes total as it is at 32.

But this is my only real gripe. I could hardly call Norns an original act, yet they perform this style as well as most other bands at the demo level, and in closing one's eyes to listen, In Fog They Appear does capture the imagery I demand from the tradition. I am unsure as to the status of this band, they are listed as 'split-up' on the Metal Archives, but the members are also involved in some similar acts Vornat and Nattfog. The packaging is superb, with the back panel of the booklet honoring the immortal Darkthrone, and the photography perfect to stare at while you listen through the compositions. I can only hope Voldsom will offer similar works in the future, whether they be re-issues or new releases, for this is a worthwhile initiation to both band and label.

Verdict: Win [7.75/10]

http://www.voldsom.net/
http://www.mikseri.net/artists/?id=44571

War Master - Chapel of the Apocalypse [DEMO] (2009)

Judging from their name alone, you can be quite sure who this Texas band is paying tribute to most on their demo. And the sounds of their charnel house, low end grooving death rhythms do in fact ape a lot of what made Bolt Thrower great in the late 80s and 90s. I'm not going to accuse War Master of being some 100% ripoff of Bolt Thrower, because I'm sure this is done all in fun with that very idea in mind, and from time to time on the three songs here you might hear a slight influence from another prototype death metal bands (Death, Cianide, Carnage, etc).

"Chapel of the Apocalypse" is the first foray into the grim battlefield, with some churning and grinding guitar work that occasionally slows for some blood-soaked bombast. When the subtle melody comes in after 1:00, it begins to really sound a lot like something from War Master the album. "Awake in Darkness/Warplague" follows suite, with a groove and pummeling that often transforms into hoarse blasting akin to what the UK band used to create. "Thrones of Tyranny" is probably the best track of the three, really rekindling the lust I had for Realms of Chaos 20 years ago, with a nice, hostile production.

This leads me to the inevitable conclusion, though: War Master just isn't better than Bolt Thrower at being Bolt Thrower, and there is no reason to really listen to this when you have that band's catalog at your disposal. As an inspired tribute, the Texans are clearly aware of what they are doing...but the songs themselves do not excel beyond what you already have in Realm of Chaos, War Master or The IV Crusade. So I can't give it a gleaming recommendation. That said, I like the band's logo and cover art, the demo is pissed off and raw, and I could easily fantasize myself making a band called World-Eater and doing an identical project some day...so...well, your mileage may vary depending on how much more of the same you want to hear.

Verdict: Indifference [5.5/10]

http://www.myspace.com/warmaster89

Stillers Tod - Katharsis [DEMO] (2009)

Katharsis is another of those ambitious demos you hear which is really just an album in disguise. At 49+ minutes of quality black metal, with a pagan/folk edge to it, this release could easily be snapped up by some label, released as a full length and no one would know the difference (except the band). But alas, this is the form it is released in, and the criteria to which it adheres.

Stillers Tod is a German band with a pretty straight and dark tone, which they spice up just enough with acoustic sections, creepy vocals and glorious melodic infusions to pass inspection. Kargáist is the vocalist and also writes the music, then rounded out with a full band. Katharsis features 10 tracks, with a good variety of slower and faster material and a pretty decent mix. The vocals are thick, accented and decrepit, without much of a rasp to them, and this matches up well against the thundering guitar rhythms.

"16 Jahre Fegefeuer" is an average bombastic, epic synth intro which you might find at the beginning of a great many folk/pagan metal records, and "Katharsis" opens with a few acoustics, before thundering off into the night with blazing guitars. There is a nice break with some violin and synthesized choir, before the battle is rejoined. "Von Wiederkehr und Niedergang" has some nice, night-life samples before a rather epic, arching march that softens beneath the cleaner vocals of Kargáist, who is actually pretty good at these too. "Blutiger Schnee" has a streaming melody over a pulverizing rhythm, which reminded me of Endstille (though that band does not break into the similar glory charges this one runs up here). I really enjoyed the track 5+ minute "Seelenwanderung", which is all synths and bells and whispers. "In jeder gottverdammten Nacht" has a driving, descending rhythm that makes for an epic warlike atmosphere. And "Demian" is a worthy closer with a great, epic build up and some fine synth-driven parts.

Katharsis is a pretty high quality introduction at the demo level, and Stillers Tod should fit right in with the better half of the German black metal scene. They don't often go as savage as an Endstille, Dark Fortress, or Lunar Aurora, but fans of those bands would find something here to enjoy.

Highlights: Von Wiederkehr und Niedergang, Blutiger Schnee, Seelenwanderung

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.myspace.com/stillerstod

Branikald - Stormheit [DEMO] (1994)

Though his output in recent years has become sparse, the Russian known as Kaldrad was once one of the most prolific artists in all of black metal, releasing a massive slew of albums through Branikald, Forest, Nitberg, Temnozor, Vargleide, and others. His body of work seemed to peak at the turn of the century, as he and his fellows of the Blazebirth Hall community released some of their most potent work. I should note that Kaldrad's lyrical matter (not only in this, but his other bands) might be offensive to some, ranging from roots NSBM to spirituality and nature. But if it makes you feel any better, the lyrics are in Russian.

Of all his work, Branikald is likely my favorite, for its sheer savagery, and that was apparent even with this first demo. Stormheit is a collection of five tracks of snarling, raw black metal with an obvious influence taken from Darkthrone and Burzum. At 41 minutes, this is practically a full album's worth of material, and the epic length of its compositions is actually one of its strengths; it is very easy to lose oneself within them, hypnotized by the winter wastelands Kaldrad is evoking. "Kaldevind" is over 9 minutes of disgusting, razor edged guitar riffing, harsh vocals, and mid-paced drums, searing in the cold winds of the song's title. "A Stormride" exceeds even this, with 11+ moments of hostility which plods along at a strange, slower gait. Once again, the track is bathed in a windy vibe (not always sure if it's through the raw production and feedback or actual samples, but it works either way). In fact, the first four tracks on the release has this effect. "Celestial Clear Moonlit" is brief, raw, resounding black doom, and "Feldhall og Kampf" another cruel 11 minutes of frost-tipped misanthropy. "A Crushing Hammer" is extremely fucking noisy, with major guitar hiss but a more mead-swilling rhythm that complements its crashing drums.

Stormheit is not accessible, certainly not by today's standards. There is no sense for production value, it's unhinged and bloody raw, and therein lies much of its charm. The guitars will often feel out of tune and the drums do little aside from keep the effective pace. You have to venture deep into the Branikald discography to find any semblance of studio standards, or polish. But that's not the point of Kaldrad's work. It is to capture your imagination and intone the unforgiving majesty of his land, the pride and history of his people. To this extent, it's a successful demo, and the first of many worthy efforts.

Highlights: Kaldevind, A Stormride, Feldhall og Kampf

Verdict: Win [7/10]

Behexen - Eternal Realm [DEMO] (1997)

Eternal Realm is the first demo from this Finnish cult as Behexen (they released one demo under their previous name Lords of the Left Hand), and it's quite surprising if you're only familiar with their more savage, later full length offerings. There is a heavy use of keyboards on this demo to serve as both sweeping orchestration and a clarion herald of devastation, but it interacts well with the band's primitive riffing and creates a good atmosphere.

Whereas the band would later adopt a more strict, Satanic theme to their music, this early writing had a slant towards Norse lore, warfare and seduction. "Beyond the Dark Graves" is a synthesizer intro with some rather serious sounding tones, both ominous and majestic. "The Queen of Blood & Lust" uses the synth like a horn section on a plain of battle, and the riffs here are quite good in a post-Hellhammer, black thrashing sense. Torog's vocals are best at their fuller, dark range, though his voice occasionally cracks into a witch-like cackle. "The Land of the Troll" is nearly 8 minutes in length, an epic track inspired by the work of Bathory but with much more use of the keys. I enjoyed the breaks to acoustic and basslines, and this is honestly a worthwhile Viking metal tune. "Eternal Realm" also features some breaks to acoustics with flute accompaniment, but when its at its raunchy fastest it reminds me the most of the direction Behexen would later force with such albums as Rituale Satanum and By the Blessing of Satan. "Derision for Jesus" is once again epic, using the intoning of bells and churning of lethal pipe organs to drive it's slower rhythmic crawl, though the song picks up in pace later to become a bestial onslaught of lower splatter vox alongside Torog's natural snarl.

Eternal Realm is a demo, so of course it lacks some polish in the production department. But if you're already accustomed to the band's lo-fi, punishing albums, this deviates little from the norm, and frankly, it is the rough polish which gives the work much of its charm. This is really the only case where Behexen would use so much of an 'epic metal' influence to their writing, adopting a more abrasive, straight black style as early as the next demo, Blessed be the Darkness. But this made for a strong start, and a nice footnote, to a solid career.

Verdict: Win [7.5/10]

http://www.behexen.tk/

A Cloud in Circle - Depression's Suicide [DEMO] (2009)

Perhaps the title and cover to this release are a bit too obvious, but if it's not readily apparent, Argentina's A Cloud in Circle perform depressive black metal with more than the lion's share of ambient and non-metal influence. This latest demo is quite fascinating for its monstrous sound, in particular the non-metal sequences which would make a perfect soundtrack to any laid back, pensive moment in which one debates their very existence and which path they shall assume: slogging forward through a dreary, mundane world or making a beeline for the gods-damned gallows.

"Ethereal Sense of Solitude" is an amazing ambient into, with ringing pianos and vocal choir synthesizer over an ominous landscape. "By Myself" opens with the bustling sounds of rains and what seem to be train tracks as the buzzing of the black guitars comes into focus. The vocals are extremely painful, suitable to please fans of Weakling, Burzum, Silencer or many other bands of a similar nature. "Dying's Vision" is a bleak ambient track with some background wailing, and "I Lost My Hope (Part I)" is a crashing wall of doomlike depressive black metal with amazing, piercing guitar tones. Pretty incredible track. "Wounds In My Arms" begins with a lengthy piano sequence, but more of the band's tormented black noise follows. The title track is another dark ambient instrumental, and the demo closes with the swelling "I Lost My Hope (Part II)", a graceful and expressive track which meshes black and new age influences.

Musically, I have no qualms, A Cloud in Circle offers the superb, adventurous tones that I relish. The vocals don't bother me much, though I'm still undecided on whether these types of bands would be better served with another style. Lyrically, the band seems sedate and pedestrian, with obvious titles to their subject strata. But nonetheless, this is an amazing demo, and if you've enjoyed any of the other black/ambient stuff I've given a favorable review in the past 5-6 months, you'll probably feel this too.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

http://www.myspace.com/acloudincircle

Ruttokorppi - Siivet Saatanan Armosta [DEMO] (2009)

Ruttokorppi is a two piece Finnish band performing raw black metal with a tendency to lapse into sequences of melodic, doomy black. Their hostile and raw aggression reminded me most of their countrymen Horna, who also have an edge for dark melodies when the need arises.

Siivet Saatanan Armosta is the band's first demo, and has an understandably raw but understated production which works with this style. The vocals are hoarse and sloppy snarls spewing forth Satanic dementia, the guitars always maintain an occult grace, and the bass is thankfully audible in this band. The drums are a little repressed, but you can make out the beats enough. "Siivet Saatanan Armosta" opens the demo with some samples of storm over nice acoustics, and then some good melodies to create a crawling, doomlike trance. The track picks up a little steam in its later moments before collapsing once more into a depressive state. "Pirunliekki" has driving bass and guitar melody which creates a pattern of sorrow before a catchy thrash bridge. "Yon Sarvet" builds with a folkish melody (think old Amorphis) alongside some ringing chords. There are some good old school black/thrash riffs, and some breakdowns with howling and creepy ambience and whispers. I thought this was the most entertaining of the three tracks.

Ruttokorppi certainly has the passion and bestial representation to rub horns with the bigger bands of their scene, and the tracks here are decent, if not compelling. It will be interesting to hear how the band's material works on a longer playing release.

Verdict: Indifference [6.5/10]

http://spreadevil.tripod.com/

Obscured - When Darkness Comes [DEMO] (2009)

Serbia's Obscured are the aural equivalent of a blunt instrument striking you repeatedly, very primal and bare boned death metal which occasionally veers off into a pure thrashing rhythm. They are simple in the way that a band like Six Feet Under approaches the material, yet the use of both death and black metal vocals, grind and thrash gives them an expansive sound.

That being said, the three tracks on the When Darkness Comes demo/promo did not blow me away. "Apocalypse" opens with about 30 seconds of thrash before the gutturals of Khargash enter the fray and the track transforms into this moshing, old school death metal rhythm, broken by some grinding bridges with blacker vocals. I liked the band's use of the filtered guitar fill in the verse, but otherwise it wasn't very memorable. "When Darkness Comes" is slower, with some creepy atmosphere behind the big opening chords, and then some simple, grooving guitars. The track has some eerier, sludge-like segments with snarled vocals, and some quicker death/thrash. "Witness of the Last Crucifiction" is anchored by some slower grooves and squeals, you can picture people getting clobbered to this track, but again, it wasn't exactly a standout, though I did like the brief 'march' part near the end.

When Darkness Comes is a great sounding promo, vibrant and bloodletting without excess polish. The band has a varied attack incorporating a number of genres into a simplistic, sledgehammer sound, but the songs on this release didn't quite gel with me aside from a few riffs. Maybe next time.

Verdict: Indifference [6/10]

http://www.myspace.com/obscuredsound

Gravsahl - A Part of Nothing [DEMO] (2009)

Gravsahl is the project of one German Graf von Sahl, and he has recorded and issued this first demo for free (link below). There are five tracks to enjoy, and he performs a rather nasty, raw and dense black which often breaks for interludes of sorrow filled synth work.

"Redemption at Full Moon" is over 8 minutes in length, with some solemn pauses between the grim snarling and swerving guitars that create a dark and empty place for the mind to wander. The synth tones often feel 'warm' rather than 'cold', but this is not to say Gravsahl is soft. "Mountain and Forests" feels like a natural progression, with big bombastic synths and crude rasping vocals. It was interesting and felt a little like old Summoning. "Rejected" creates an emotional landscape with sad guitars and programmed drum battery, almost like raw black metal meets 80s goth pop gloom. "Blind Eyes" is eerie and atmospheric, and the "Color of Despair" is an instrumental piano outro which nicely caps off the demo.

The production of A Part of Nothing is average and homebrewed, but I felt nothing lost in the translation. There is a bit of romantic edge to Gravsahl, it is cult and dark yet not as bleak as indie black metal projects. I enjoyed the first three tracks the most, there is a good atmosphere to the material. Again, Graf is offering the demo for free, so if my musings haven't turned you off, it wouldn't kill you to check this out.

Verdict: Win [7/10]

http://www.myspace.com/gravsahl