The French based BLUT AUS NORD are one of the few bands which are constantly trying to set new musical standards without being too much concerned about the scene and their understanding of the term Black Metal. And even if their first releases under the Candlelight banner – more or less the second era of the band after releasing the first handful of recordings via purely underground labels – are not really my cup of beer due to strong experiments with Drone / Dark Ambient elements is their latest release in some way like a return to long forgotten shores. "Memoria Vetusta II" is the follow up to the second BLUT AUS NORD album (released in 1996 via Impure Creations Records and re-released in 2005 by Candlight) and the album is bringing back the great times of (Norwegian) Black Metal. Before I’m going into detail please be advised that even if there are some musical parallels with other bands that this album is offering something unique far away from any claims of copykill. The 9 tracks of "Memoria Vetusta" are majestic Black Metal in its purest form and the under title "Dialogue With The Stars" is another perfect description of the music. Just imagine the great times of ARCTURUS and EMPEROR and the atmosphere of songs like ‘Rodt Og Svart’ and ‘The Majesty Of The Nightsky’. The major difference to so many other releases these days is that the atmosphere is not completely depending on the keys and that the guitar work is so strong that a whole scene will be more than impressed. This album is for sure a surprise especially after the BLUT AUS NORD releases "The Work Which Transforms God" and "Mort" but everybody which has grown up within the second / third wave of Norwegian Black Metal is no longer in the position to advise that this music is long dead and that nothing can bring back these ‘glorious’ times – this is the proof of the contrary and I really hope that BLUT AUS NORD will forget for some time their aim to explore new territory. www.candlelightrecords.co.uk, www.blutausnord.com