The curiosity surrounding KÆCK, the formidable project consisting of veterans from the Dutch underground, including those behind SAMMATH, is more than justified. KÆCK featuring guitarist Jan Kruitwagen from that legendary Dutch outfit, appeared out of nowhere with their seminal debut full-length “Stormkult” in 2015. That debut sent some storm deep in the underground and can regarded as one of the most provoking Black Metal records in the recent era. Their sophomore full-length “Het Zwarte Dictaat” was released six years later and kept their intense Black Metal intact. Now they returned and the sound they forged in this third full-length “Gruwelijk Onthaal”, transcends mere expectation. As soon as the opener ‘Het Huilend Altaar’ bursts through, one can sense that this is Black War Metal, which was meticulously assembled in the crucible of the SAMMATH bunker. This yields a full and completely massive sound that echoes like the end of the world. It gets totally exposed in the upcoming numbers as ‘Door Gespleten Tongen Bezworen’, ‘Ondermaanse Contracten’ and ‘De Nachtelingen Van Het Nieuwe Duister’. Thematically, this album is the direct sonic manifestation of the terribly good KÆCK arrival, a nightmare prophecy ripped straight from the band’s own doctrine. It is the sound of humanity’s shattered suppression, the definitive beginning of the end. It takes the elegant, raw malice of SAMMATH’s Black Metal foundation and infuses it with the sheer, crushing weight of primitive Death Metal. Just think of the combined devastating force of INFESTER and SINISTER. The riffing, which frequently starts off with that heavy Death Metal thrust, soon blends into a furious Black Metal assault. The songs are not just tracks; they are short, violent epics where the drums pound with ferocity, yet avoid today’s hyper blasting madness, helping to anchor the sound in that classic era. The intensity never wavers, and it’s superbly forged in the rest numbers, ‘Paterhexolimaat’, ‘De Ijzeren Hand Van Het Benedenwaartse’ and the record closer ‘Bloedend Verraad Met Ontvleesde Hand Gesmeten’. Their trademark style of using Dutch lyrics were sang again in that aggressive, hoarse growls as if they were from the abyss. The vocal line is also punctuated by occasional disturbing shrieks, as if accompanied by some Black Metal thunderstorms. These feelings persist throughout the record and seven composition’s lengthening just over 30 minutes will leave any ears sore yet longing for more. Like a focused journey with primal force, the overall intense production makes it sounding like it was composed by the cruelest Gundabad orcs in honor of the Witch King of Angmar. Wholeheartedly these Dutch hordes took their time to forge something that can remain memorable, in a genre that nowadays often feels stalled or easily forgettable. But this is needed stuff for those who get fanatic by listening to simple yet formidable Black Metal. And those who never heard of KÆCK before, “Gruwelijk Onthaal” can be a calling they want to experience, thanks to the ever reliable Folter Records. Find out more about the band and label here: www.facebook.com/kaeckhorde, www.facebook.com/folterrecordsgermany