Haste makes waste, so it took SKARDUS about 25 years after foundation to release their debut album. Good things take time to ripen, even if the band has not been idle in the meantime and released three demos and one split with PLAGE. As the title and cover suggest, the overall concept is inspired by myths and legends from the land between the seas. SKARDUS are located in in the German town Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein. A region bordered by both the North Sea and Baltic Sea and consequently parts of the lyrics are written in Low German and East Frisian. The title can be translated to “The Empire Of Storm” and everyone can figure out for themselves what a song-title like ‘Det Schong Von Er Onnerbaantjes’ means. While we are at it, the concept also includes the excellent linocut (courtesy of The Field Alchemist) that adorns the cover, which may serve as blueprint for the music: any frills or gimmicks are missing, reduced to the essentials and therefore meaningful and expressive. Strict objectively seen SKARDUS do not play anything that other bands have done in the last thirty years. Varied vocals from screams to grunts up to clean singing, fast, mid-tempo and slower parts, melodic Black Metal guitars riffs and acoustic guitars. As a criticism therefore one could say that there are no surprises. And using local idioms is nothing new, LUNAR AURORA did that with ‘A Haudiga Fluag’ almost 20 years ago. Even the sub-genre North Sea Black Metal has been served by bands like DRAUTRAN, STOERMFLOOD, HELRUNAR, FRIISK and French based HOULE came up with a similar linocut-like cover. But be that as it may, SKARDUS convinced me with their rough and stormy Black Metal. Book your cruise across the stormy sea by visiting www.facebook.com/skardusband, www.facebook.com/einheitproduktionen