Review by Jeger on July 10, 2024.

The convoluted USBM scene - a movement that has struggled to find an identity outside of the old heads: Xasthur, Judas Iscariot and Nachtmystium. I would throw Inquisition in there but they’re on a level of their own. UADA? Wolves In The Throne Room? Hard pass, although I do hold a soft spot for the former, I’d hardly call what they do true black metal, but this! Just a few minutes into this thing and goosebumps. From out of the frigid Minneapolis / Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA area emerge Grand Demise Of Civilization and with them they’ve brought a little something called “Hell Metal”. Don’t worry it’s black metal… Only of a most profound variety. Real end of days-heralding shit here and set to ensnaring passages fraught with lulling dreamscapes that promise tranquility only to deliver you mercilessly into The Blaze Of Abaddon, released via Ordovician Records on June 4, 2024… 

When you truly bust the brakes off of black metal and dial the intensity and the creativity into the red, you get “hold my beer” records like The Blaze Of Abaddon where nothing is as it seems and everything you thought you knew about black metal goes out the window… Oh yeah, it’s one of those. It’s a fine line to walk when a collective decides to put forth a genuine effort to change the game like this. It still must be black metal and of course the truer the better. Doesn’t have to be crusty attic black metal but the energy must be right. In this case, like the culmination of decades worth of suffering boiling over into a frantic disembowelment-like series of fevered cuts like 'Cathedral Reaper' and 'Silencer' that see the band as they rip through the early 90’s worshipping fabric of the genre, all the while as they weave a much more elaborate sonic tapestry of their own. 

Ever listen to Helfró’s debut self-titled LP? Great stuff, complex and overwhelmingly dynamic. You’ll get those vibes here, but this thing is a much more elaborate production. Fucking nightmare fuel pumping along with all that cortisol sheer horror, but the suspense ride comes to a halt midway through as you absorb the awe-inspiring intro to 'Nephilm'. These are the kinds of arrangements that only elite musicians are capable of, and the entire record feels almost like some sort of grand theatrical black metal production or like the most badass black metal supergroup you could possibly put together recorded it. And still radiating all that evil energy just the way black metal is supposed to. 

Not much in the way of competition against this bunch. Wouldn’t want them opening for my band… Hate to have to try to follow this up. Jesus fuck this is a ride! It’s like if Dominator and Ihsahn put together a band. It’s like Nordjevel crossed with Hate Forest in this, a tour-de-force black metal LP that unabashedly delivers the brutality along with all the traditional fiendish evil vibes. Great name for a band, great album and even the cover art just screams “this could be exactly what you’ve been looking for in a black metal album all these years…” Okay, a lot of black metal album covers do that, but the point I’m trying to make is that The Blaze Of Abaddon is just choice nugget from top to bottom and a welcomed breath of fresh air for an as-of-late all over the place USBM scene. 

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Felix on June 4, 2024.

Every scene needs its flagships, someone who says that the other bands can enjoy their artistic freedom, but if they want to be part of the community, they have to take care for a few standards or rules. The Stone, only fools doubt this, is the role model of the Serbian black metal scene and their single (or EP) from 2004 celebrates its 20th anniversary this year in December. With that said, it is one of their earliest releases. To be honest, it shows the general approach of the band, but not yet the full potential that the guys demonstrated in the following years. I don’t speak of the underground production that almost forgets the demonic vocals. The sound of “Do You Hear, the Dead Are Laughing at Us” is definitely not excellent, but it spreads a crude atmosphere and therefore it is absolutely okay that the mix lacks transparency. It is not overly blurred and that’s the main thing.

The songwriting itself leaves room for optimization, at least if we listen to the material today, two decades after its recordings. Maybe this EP was one of some important milestones that catapulted the band on the global black metal map. However, if we compare this work with their later releases – maybe this is an unfair process, but nevertheless let’s do it – we realize that the material is less complex than their later stuff. The songs aren’t flat at all, but a few layers are missing. The Stone set the focus on comparatively straight parts and tempo variations are more or less the only game-changer here. That’s a bit sad, because the riffs, leads and lines do not fully convince. They are solid and resilient, but the band rather impresses with courage, integrity and spirit than with brilliantly designed music. Certainly, it is no coincidence that these two pieces already show many elements of their typical approach of the later years – not only the opulent length of both songs. This band evidently had a clear vision of its sound right from the beginning and this is a crucial factor when it comes to integrity.

If I have to choose one of the tracks, I would take the title track, because it houses more facets than the opener without suffering from heterogeneousness in any way. The song has a natural flow, furthermore it scores with its slow, nearly tragic part. In particular the desperate melody line that comes in at three and a half minutes lends the entire piece a fine touch of morbidity. So maybe The Stone had to fight to become the flagship they are today. But they took the challenge and they were successful in doing so. My absolute highlights of the dudes are still “Engulfed by the Abyss” and “Teatar Apsurda”, but this EP is interesting as well and a document of its time. Even 20 years after it has seen the gloomy light of a grey and cold Serbian December morning, it is worth a listen.

Rating: 7.1 out of 10