Some of you might already know German VARGSANG or its predecessor GRAVEN, both excellent bands delivering hateful, cold and raw Black Metal the way it is meant to be. Now the new side project NORDISCHES BLUT unleashes its debut album and while retaining the unique grim vocals one knows of GRAVEN / VARGSANG there are some new elements like more tempo variation, minimalistic yet very well done and moody keyboards, a better production and a stronger emphasis on epic feeling that DARKTHRONE-like aggression. This puts NORDISCHES BLUT’s music along with martial lyrics and a vigorous band name obviously into the Pagan Metal department and they do a fantastic job! On "Our Banners Will Rise" the icycold and sinister feeling of traditional northern Black Metal and the hymnic, supreme and majestic intensity of Pagan Metal unite as one force and everyone who enjoys dark and mighty grim sounds should get this album. Unfortunately there is also a conspicuous black spot on the band’s otherwise white vest, namely the bonus track, which turned out to be a cover of STURMWEHR, a band associated with the NS-scene. I checked out the lyrics of the covered song on the Internet and they proved to be just typical "Hail Wotan"-stuff and therefore harmless, but people who are more picky about covering such controverse bands as I am, might be pissed off by this. You have to judge for yourself! I certainly do not sympathise with this attitude, but I do not put the CD out of my player either… it’s too good. Visit www.undercover-records.de for additional information and maybe the people behind NORDISCHES BLUT like to comment on the suspicious track themselves.