Crypt Of Postmortem Ceremonials
(Grau Records)
106:30min
A split release never looked so beautiful. A black, leatherbound case with 2 CDs or 3 LPs, and a gorgeous album cover provide a more-than-appealing presentation for a split release by LUNAR AURORA and NORDLYS. Germany’s LUNAR AURORA have always celebrated a shimmering atmosphere of dark woods and anguished, mesmerizing layering throughout solid Black Metal. And the three tracks on "Crypt Of Postmortem Ceremonials" are a true testament to their almost two decades of history. The first track ‘A Haudiga Fluag’ (originally released on the band’s vinyl only split EP with PAYSAGE D’HIVER in 2004 – Frank), a 20-minute opus, is reminiscent of "Hoagascht", their astonishing last album before their split. The guitars steadily strum and thrum as a wall of atmosphere envelopes the listener for a trancelike epiphany of darkened forests and monolithic entities. Slow breathing in the second track ‘Der Leere Thron’ (from the 2001 vinyl compilation "Wurzelgeister" – Frank) suddenly erupts into a fury of bestial proportions, while still maintaining the sound we expect from this wonderful band. The final track of LUNAR AURORA ‘Crypt Of The Nameless’ (unreleased song from the split with PAYSAGE D’HIVER – Frank) delivers an old school Black Metal sound with rapid guitars, pounding drums and a despairing vocal assault. NORDLYS on the other hand, gives the gift of seventeen tracks of 90s era songs from a band that falls in the same style of fellow Germans LUNAR AURORA. ‘Feuerkreis’ immediately slashes and attacks its way through our eardrums with a never-let-up attitude, leading to the second track ‘Wächter Der Nacht’, a much rawer, murky Black Metal offering. The tracks throughout the set on this 106-minute split range from foggy melancholy to blistering, mind-numbing bludgeonings to fast-paced fury to lurching, lumbering beasts, while still maintaining a consistent collection of Black Metal atmosphere, aggression and cold-hearted rhrythms. You get your money’s worth with this split… an incredible case and 20 tracks from two of Germany’s finest. Definitely not something to pass up. For more information, check out www.lunaraurora.de, www.myspace.com/foelgnordlyset, www.grau.cd
David Simonton
• LUNAR AURORA - Of Stargates And Bloodstained Celestial... (David Simonton)
• LUNAR AURORA - Elixir Of Sorrow (Mirco Szymyslik)
• LUNAR AURORA - Ars Moriendi (Frank Stöver)
• LUNAR AURORA - Hoagascht (Julian "Lunar" Nuñez)
• LUNAR AURORA - Seelenfeuer (Mario Cubero)
• LUNAR AURORA - Andacht (Roy Kristensen)
• LUNAR AURORA - Mond (Frank Stöver)
• LUNAR AURORA - Zyklus (Frank Stöver)
• LUNAR AURORA - Elixir Of Sorrow (Nhashi)
• LUNAR AURORA - Interview (Frank Stöver)