this early Hades material reflects the relative immaturity of the band at the time, but is still a powerful slice of raw pagan black metal. lacking the speed addiction indicative of most BM, Hades instead opts for a primitive heave-ho groove that simulates the rowing rhythm of a longboat. make no mistake: this is MANLY metal, full of unbridled viking machismo. all this is topped with cavernous, spaced-out riffs that give each songs a unique and ominous feel. rarely does one hear something so spectral, yet so dark.on the negative side, ALL of the songs are in the same key, and most use the same primary rhythms (charging waltz or longboat heave-ho), so some might find this a bit too repetitive to enjoy. a pity, because while later material is more varied, this is not without merit.
the grieghallen production is about what you would expect it to be: reverb, reverb, reverb. one exception from the norm, however, is the suprisingly strong drum sound; when he hits the toms, it's like thunder! unfortunately, his playing is not quite up to meet the challenge. occasionally a beat is missed or a fill is flubbed.
still, this album captures the essence of what cult pagan black metal means to me. it's not for everyone, and i don't know if it's the best place to start if you're trying to get into Hades, but my suggestion is to give it a few spins and give it some time. eventually, it will work its magic.
total hypnosis, if you're in the mood