Nortavlaggh.377 - “Demo 2020”

   Z:c4, from Singapore, put together this beast, in 2004. During the course of these 16 years, not much has been put out by the musician, adding to a total of 2 Demos and 1 Split, prior to this new one, from 2020. One thing I have learned throughout the years, is how Asian Black Metal musicians (and fans) take their sound seriously, and “violently”, for that matter. Violent, in terms of the disposition of the Music, not that they are violent people. Their output on Black/Death Metal is much more than just a Beherit or Blasphemy copycat. You can, of course, sense that punitive and caustic facet of their music, but you can also hear an exotic approach to the music. Bands like Impiety, Abhorer or Surrender of Divinity, or even Zygoatsis, all of them carrying high the torch of Ross Bay Cult, yet, at the same time, adding layers and layers of something else, something dynamic and different.

   Nortavlaggh.377 is the definitive creation of the aforementioned musician an expression of hate and total disregard of human condition, that for 13 years has been asleep. NH377 is the musical expression of a Post-apocalyptic future, one in which we, Humans, are feeble being crawling the desolated lands of this Earth. It suits a futuristic image, I may say. In terms of sound, it has that industrial something, without being blatantly present, without taking the lead. Anaal Nathrakh comes to mind, to be honest. Maybe, minus the grindcorian side to it. At first, one might be put a bit back, given the violence that welcomes you, but then you start to understand how the gears work, and how the pieces fit (TOOL reference… win), and you find the melody hidden beneath all that vehemence and obliteration. That Bathory cover is, for me personally, an extra point!

   Overall it is a release that will find, amongst fans of the more Bestial line of Black Metal, a place. It is abrasive and overwhelming. Not a set of songs one might easily “consume” on a daily basis, but still, a very solid one. Let’s see if another 13 years go by before the man decides to put out new music!

NH.377 - "Demo 2020"