Nokturnal Mortum
Goat Horns

It happened to me, a few days when I was kept aside and was very angry with the rest of humanity. And I could never find a CD that I liked! Among the endless mountains of Oi! albums (The 4 Skins, Skrewdriver, Exploited etc. etc.) I decided to buy something different. And I started listening to stuff like Industrial, Grindcore, and Punk. But they didn't make me feel comfortable. I started from here, to develop a passion for black metal, and so I went to the most important shops in Rome (yes, I'm a Roman!), and what I saw were many albums with black covers (Darkthrone, Mayhem, Burzum above all…), and my eye fell on this album. Traumatizing cover, very bright and unusual colors... And in the end, I bought it.

I remember being enchanted by the fact that keyboards played an important role in the songs, and that the sound was damn clean! In fact, when I heard "Black Moon Overture," I was impressed; it is nothing less than a medieval-style song. "Kuyaviya" vaguely recalls Satyricon, in a darker and less mocking version, the unusual initial growl seems unusual to me for the song (and for black metal in general), but I appreciate its diversity, even if the scream is the dominant form on the album, and the voice is a cross between Varg Vikernes (from Filosofem) and Emperor Magus Caligula (of Dark Funeral), the double bass is perfect and the keyboards work, the tracks are wicked. But the masterpiece is "Goat Horns," slow and very melodic, as taught by the Burzum tradition. The tracks are all very long, but they do not bore you, thanks to an effective and very appropriate keyboard sound, which makes everything more acceptable, (that's why I compare them to the Satyricon of Nemesis Divina). It seemed quite effective and very dark to me (let it be a lesson to Cradle Of Filth… ), the keyboards are truly beautiful. And they seem very close to the epic.

I am very happy that works like these still exist, because in my opinion profaning classical music is wrong (I don't say to listen to my dear Ludovico Van, but at least to appreciate the technique), in this album everything works. Another note to mention is the political position (they are Nazis) which in this album is put aside. ''Kolyada'' is quite good, note the guitars and their distortions, very similar to those of Aske (and you know who I'm talking about…), dry and with few basses but impactful, they get under your skin and crush bones. The drums are perfect with beautiful tempo changes and slowdowns. Very epic and quite gothic. The guitars of Kolyada are truly beautiful. I look forward to other works like this, and I don't care whether they are Nazi or not. The last song is "Eternal Circle," a very beautiful and quite cold keyboard outro. I would qualify this album as a beautiful approach between ambient and black metal. It is a well-achieved work, and far from the banal black metal that circulates today, (then let's not always criticize the Cradle... which I despise XD), because since the early 2000s, albums have been coming out that to say pathetic is an understatement, especially when talking about black metal! Let's always see those nutcases, what are they called… oh yes, the "Dark Funeral." Soon pathetic names like: Pustfatrum, Schifattecchi, I Ciccio Pasticcio, Ubaldo Ubaldi, Eghefanm, Ajeje will come out!

This album, instead, is very different from that lineup of crazies, and I think the concept of black metal is encapsulated in this "Goat Horns," which seems little inclined to go on Rock Tv (where the 99 Posse still operate!). Let's not talk about Dimmu Borgir, nor Cradle Of Filth, nor the now-defunct DarkThrone, we are talking about people who really stand out from the crowd. People who have not become transgressive by going on Rock Tv, let's not talk about this! Unfortunately, I'm sorry that this band is subjected to the usual criticisms and accusations of National Socialism (and by constantly criticizing Hitler, the Red Brigades have returned! Damn them!). I didn't like to drift into political discourse but unfortunately, I was forced because politics is present here. In this "Goat Horns" especially. With this album, I expect a return to the scene of Burzum, which I have always admired. And that albums like these still come to light. And I believe it is indispensable at least to give it a listen, because I assure you it is a beautiful album.

PS: This is my first review on black metal, I hope you like it. And DON'T CRITICIZE ME BECAUSE I AM FOR THE "FIAMMA TRICOLORE," because debaser is a place where music finds space, and where there are also excellent de-reviewers.