Swedens horde NAZGHOR from Uppsala seem to be very busy in songwriting and developing their music, as only a few months after their fine debut release "Life Impaled", which really impressed me a lot, they now release their second full length "Upon The Darkest Season" again via Dead Center Productions. Stylewise they continue with what they have started on their debut release. The provided nine tracks including an instrumental track plus intro again come up with a blistering freezing atmosphere, blast beat drumming and double bass attacks. What seems to have developed, is their fine sense for guitar melodies, as the lead guitar and its melodies becomes more dominating and also silent melodic parts are contributed to the songs. The first real highlight is ‘Day Of Sepulchral’, a melodic Black Metal hammer, which also easily could have fitted on a classic release like "Vittra" in the mid-nineties. The next real jewel is ‘Purified By Satan’ with its fine melody and NAZGHOR really worked on the harsh vocals, as they really fit perfect into the melody flow of the tracks and all instruments are once more carefully arranged, to fit into the flow of their music. The development of NAZGHOR goes into a more melodic blackend direction as the melodies become more and more dominating and some guitar melodies could easily have fitted into classic Heavy Metal releases of the 80s. I loved the way, UNANIMATED connected Black and Heavy Metal and since then, I missed a band, who does the same and takes classic Heavy Metal guitars and builds that into Black Metal soundscapes. The slight influences of AMON AMARTH, NAGLFAR, MÖRK GRYNING or even DISSECTION partly show up but they never sound like a copy as NAZHGOR definitively have found their own sound and are becoming a leading force in the melodic Black Metal underground and now it is really time, that a bigger label signs them and gives them proper support for the next bigger steps. You can order the CD direct from the band via their facebook page for ten euros including shipping. Be quick, as I do not think, more than 500 copies have been pressed. www.facebook.com/pages/nazghor/144957632333284, www.deadcenter666.com