Although more properly known as a collaboration between The Soil Bleeds Black and Psychonaut 75 members, Hexentanz came to my knowledge as a side-project of Black Funeral mainman Michael Ford. Occult ritual ambience spawned from the same dark mind? Yes, please. And I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I've yet to find any other piece of music that feels so purely occult. Created to channel the spirit of the ancient Witches Sabbath, Nekrocrafte evokes vespertine gatherings; shambling processions of fevered worshipers performing unholy abeissance to dead or neonate gods. The indistinct sound of chanting is captured in ambient drone whilst drums beat with the heady fever of trance. Male and female voices channel inhuman tongues, hell diplomats coercing and threatening. Period instruments, mark of The Soil Bleeds Black, lend their wearied cries.
Each piece retains ritualistic simplicity; mesmerizing thematic loops reinforcing the inner focus of shared energies inherent to spiritual congregations. This makes for great background or mood music, something to really let your mind go to, but it also means that each song is fairly straightforward. Thankfully, that's more or less the intent, as Hexentanz abstain from attempting to truss up their sound, choosing instead to keep it natural and true to the source. Extra goat horns for the excellent treatment of vocals. Not only do they manage to keep out of cheese territory, but they achieve the rarity of genuine creepiness.
Verdict: Win [4/5]
