Title: Nether Darkness
Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Release Date: January 5, 2018
Country: Russia
Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod region, Russia’s Vhorthax was formed in 2016 by members of the band Abyssfire - Morkh (voices & psalms - also Sickrites and Serpentrance), Nicholas-N.A.-I.I. (drums), and M.P. (guitars & bass). The band evokes the primitive darkness worship, with cavernous chants and morbid compositions. Stylistically I would describe their music being in the black end of the death metal, in the death end of the black metal, and all this with just a tiny touch of doom death feeling here and there. 2017 offered some excellent releases into that direction and Vhorthax EP definitely deserves attention.
“Nether Darkness” is only 22.32 min. long, with torturous intro and outro tracks. This means there are just four tracks really to enjoy. I wished it was longer and to include couple of more songs to experience. The overall feeling is abyssal; the music drowns the listener into the nine circles of hell from the very first tune. The sound is morbid, low and intensive. The Levitating Tomb begins slowly, ritually before explode into devilish whiplashing fury. Stabat Matter is dark, psychic, slower compared to the rest, with choirs and grimness of the blackest nightmares. Thy Foul Graal and Crushing The Vessels of Trinity are intensive sinister ritualistic chants, in worship of primeval black forces. Nether Darkness is really a painful journey down the nine level spiral to the darkest corners of the abyss where the Evil reigns and the souls deserve to suffer eternally. Will anyone dare? 8.5/10 By Count Vlad
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