KHAZAD DHUM is a word that, like the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is now inseparable from extreme Metal. This band are not the first to use Tolkien as an inspiration, nor shall they be the last. For those of you who are expecting to hear a SUMMONING knock off, you’re not quite correct. While there are SUMMONING-like sections, KHAZAD DHUM are more firmly rooted in raw Black Metal than SUMMONING ever were. Instead, they are more comparable to bands like LIAR OF GOLGOTHA, and their obscure countrymen MARTYRIUM, who livened their riffs with ethereal grace. KHAZAD DHUM are on the raw side, as many German bands are. They are not indecipherable, though. Everything is clear and well executed, almost like a painting. A sad landscape. KHAZAD DHUM have lain quiet since 2002. They may yet show signs of life in the future. www.merciless-records.de