Review by Felix on April 17, 2022.

Welcome back to the land of graves where Rob Darken sits comfortably on his oaken throne. After a comparatively long break between Dawn Of Iron Blades and Hour Of Ragnarok, he returns with a split album that follows hot on the heels of the aforementioned work. Naturally, only fools expect a spectacular change of style and one must be an optimist to await a spectacular work at all. Since Creed Of Iron at the latest, Graveland’s style has been defined (and became predictable). And so I awaited another typical Graveland offering with plodding rhythms that slowly but surely make their way from the cave to the battlefield and back, with Valkyries voices in the background and heroic vibes that give the music its triumphant yet battle-weary mood. Nothing new in the Polish forests.

The first time I listened to his four new tracks, I felt confirmed. But after three listening sessions, I must say I was wrong. The songs have more layers than I realized. Of course, Graveland still sound like Graveland, but some unexpected details show up. On the one hand, Darken has integrated a few very rapid sequences ('At The Shore Bathed By Blood', 'Possessed By Steel') that give the atmospherically dense songs an extra dose of intensity. On the other hand, he gives room to keyboard lines that sound like In Extremo minus the joy of living ('Amber Lantern'). Everything is presented with another voluminous production which has become a trademark of the one-man-project. The powerful guitars and the throaty voice celebrate their great appearance, the drums deliver the solid foundation and the keyboards – well, they are very (or even overly?) present, but this is nothing new when it comes to Darken’s approach. A little less pathos would be good sometimes, but I ask you to understand that as a side note. All in all, I enjoy a very cool delivery of the Polish lone wolf (yes, I have seen that he has two side kicks since 2020, but I don’t think they have a big influence on Graveland’s sound) and it’s a mystery to me why his music never gets boring, at least in my humble opinion. 8 points for his contribution to this split.

But now let’s have a look at the commander from Finland, another solitary person who has not found any fellow musicians. No doubt, he is more or less a spiritual brother of the Polish pioneer. Commander Agares have a more icy guitar sound and the vocals resonate with cruelty. Some details do not really work, for example the fade out and back in after four and a half minutes in 'Dawn Of A New Morning'. Another minor flaw is the powerless drum sound. Did the guy really beat a snare drum or was it just cardboard? Anyway, the overall impression does not fall victim to serious mistakes. Instead, the artist collects plus points with the ghostly dancing keyboard melody of 'Rising Flames Of Revelation'. It sounds like a harmony early Gehenna forgot to record. Commander Agares do not fish in the waters of Viking metal and that’s the main difference to the art of their split album partner. Yet they also convey a desperate touch and their three compositions do not suffer from a lack of substance. In contrast to its name, the profound and insistent 'Where We Are Crowned As King' does not spread a triumphant aura, it rather sounds like a document of pain and hopelessness. It’s the song which is closest to the material of Graveland and therefore it builds the perfect bridge between the two units. For me, Commander Agares deserve 7,6 points and this means that the very recommendable split gets 7,8 points.

Review by JD on December 22, 2017.

Every now and then, I love when a few choice styles of metal come together and make something that I could describe as magical. Some can say that I am a purist most of the time musically, but I do love  all forms of metal as well. One look at my collection and that comes very clear to even those that do not like my taste. With that said this little spiel it is the perfect way I could set up the review of Texas black / doom metal outfit called Stoner Witch.  

Taking the unusual route of combining very old school black metal with equal parts of gut wrenching doom with smatterings of old hardcore punk as well, Texans Stoner Witch brings to the table some of the evilest and wickedest metal ever to grace a silver disk.  With musical strength like this, they have found that perfect blending of these two styles into one that is all theirs.  Picture the bastard spawn child with parents like Trouble, Venom, Bathory with some Black Sabbath and punk intensity of Black Flag... I kid you not… it sounds just like that. 

As hard as it is to pick the songs that will properly showcase what Stoner Witch can offer, I have two very clear choices.  Both the Satan inspired blast of King of Witches not to mention the grooving doom of The Devil's Paw stand out and make their power known. The others are as good, with the little intros making sure of that... but these two tracks seem to just stand out on their own and pulsate with its power.

Light the candles say a prayer to the unholy one and play this album at 10 hooked up to a kick-ass speaker system.  They may not be the best musicians... but when you’re this good without it – you just don’t care. Stoner Witch is just pure blackened fun. 

Rating: 9 out of 10