Gloria Tibi Satana
(Northern Heritage Records)
68:00min
This is a compilation of all the 7"es and split EPs from this Black Metal band from Finland. There are quite different sounding recordings, some raw and minimalistic, come others with better production values. So, if you do not want to hunt down all those recordings, here is a good way to have them all in one CD. If you have not heard this band, they play traditional Black Metal similar to early DARKTHRONE with some CELTIC FROST sounds, twisted melodies and alternating between mid-tempo to fast Black Metal assaults. The songs seem to be in chronological order, so one can definitely listen to the progression as a band and as musicians they have reached. Maybe my only complaint with BAPTISM is that they usually have a kinda weak drum sound, even if one can hear that they do have a good drum performance. Besides that, this is quite a good compilation for fans of the style, and it is a band of which I like the more recent efforts more than their more rawer origins. www.facebook.com/pages/baptism/125299047542723, www.facebook.com/northernheritagefinland
Julián "Chalice of Death" Núñez