Review by Jack on February 24, 2003.

First off, this record reeks of Borknagar's dabbling in the progressive side of black metal. If you can think back to "Empiricism" then you can have a fair idea of what is happening with Lunaris and "...The Infinite". Featuring members of Satyricon, Borknagar and Spiral Architect, Lunaris have certainly got some black metal experience with them and one would hope they would be able to translate some good ideas into worthwhile material.

There is some great material to be found on "...The Infinite", but I do believe that a lot of it misses the spot in trying to achieve a progressive black metal echelon that isn't really there. All these guys are talented, they play their instruments like a pro tennis player plays with his or her racquet. Nothing to complain about there. But you often find that if a leading sportsmen tries to be too complicated or too tricky, things start to slowly trickle away and the game starts to fall apart at the seams. Lunaris are on that path. When they play successfully land a tough shot, boy o boy it is a beauty, but when they miss, things don't look all that great.

Don't give up on Lunaris, yet though. Track 10, 'Soulcrush' is a glimmering example of a tricky shot that pays off handsomely.

Bottom Line: Something of a hit and miss album. Try if you dare.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 7
Atmosphere: 6
Production: 7
Originality: 7
Overall: 4

Rating: 6.2 out of 10

Review by Felix on February 27, 2022.

At War With Gods was the first statement of Deviltook, a Spanish unit which deserves more attention than it had so far. Why? Well, they perform their black metal in a cool way, without useless fat, extras and frills. Thrashing elements play a more or less important role, too. Nevertheless, the new album Heretic Manifesto salutes from the cold, barren landscapes of black metal. 'Pagans Roots' is one of the tracks that leave no doubt about the sinister mentality of the quartet. The preacher that appears two times gives the strong track a doubtlessly black colour and song titles like 'Adventum Lucifer' do the same.

The riffing is not mega-expressive, but it gives the songs a clear direction. The band avoids surprising twists and turns, but dynamic tempo shifts do not come off badly. Boredom cannot spread its foul aroma during the 35 minutes of malicious music. Okay, extraordinary ingredients are missing and so some might say that the album lacks individuality. I disagree, because the ten tracks are well aligned with those of the debut. Thus, this is precisely the music the name Deviltook stands for. But even if you miss a higher degree of personality, you can still enjoy this album very much – at least if you also like the last two albums of Finland’s Urn, for example. The same goes for those dudes who celebrated their last black mass to the sounds of Deviltook’s compatriots of Nuclear Revenge.

The vocalist does not offer a large range of different tones, to express it politely. His hoarse screaming is rather a stable factor in the sound of the horde. Every now and then, he shifts into a very deep, demonic pitch, for example in 'Non Serviam', but usually he feels at home in his one-tone-approach. At any rate, he sounds more adult than on the debut and he avoids ups and downs. The same applies for the entire material – Deviltook present an album of uniform quality. Of course, some songs are good, some are a tiny bit better. The rapid 'Wolves Of Kali-Yuga', for instance, belongs to the most impressive songs, due to its occult ingredients, its raw appearance and its coherent flow. But I would not call it a highlight, rather the first among equals. The following 'Adventum Lucifer' is also cleverly arranged. It puts a simple guitar line in the focus that does not miss the desired effect.

The album is properly produced. It fails to boast with a very broad sound, but it can rely on its raw undertone and it sounds neither blurred nor dull. The simple formula is that the full-length sounds okay – but the artwork is really great again, just like the one of the debut. So I see and hear no improvement and no deterioration. Deviltook stagnate. So what? Already their debut catapulted them on a high level and maybe their third work will show that this good band can turn into a fantastic one.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Felix on January 3, 2021.

Lemmy (R.I.P.) was a challenge. He challenged the laws of ageing, the alcohol industry and academic music fans. He was a thorn in the side of people who thought (with good reasons) that there are better hobbies than collecting Nazi memorabilia. And sometimes he even called on his followers to fight. This was mostly the case whenever he had recorded a ballad. Many of them are really not the shit you want to smoke. 'Don’t Let Daddy Kiss Me' is among these examples for a calm Motörhead song gone wrong. That’s a pity, because it's empathic lyrics are remarkable, but the musical execution sucks. To be honest, it sucks completely and right from the beginning. Lemmy’s voice opens the track and it sounds weak, powerless and odd. Is this the same singer who claims “I am the voice of broken glass”, a line from 'Burner'? Anyhow, 'Don’t Let Daddy Kiss Me' would have been a noteworthy poem, but as a piece of music it belongs in the trash can.

Fortunately, Bastards as a whole deserves a much more positive description. There are probably not many dudes who count this album to Motörhead’s most relevant albums and I do neither, but it definitely shows its muscles. Apart from the terrible ballad, the quartet (yes, quartet) covers the range from good time rockers with piano support ('Bad Woman') over pretty harsh, rock ’n’ roll inspired tracks to speed / thrash metal. The last category is represented by the excellent 'Burner'. Here Lemmy’s vocals really sound like clashing glass, while the restlessly advancing guitars and the hammering drums form an outstanding speedster in the catalogue of the legend. By the way, this song kicks off the best part of the album. The directly following 'Death or Glory' is another intensive, swift number. Mikkey Dee swings the hammers and his comrades at the (bass) guitars do not hesitate to show their fresh, energetic and impulsive side as well. The lyrics of 'Death or Glory' appear as Motörhead’s version of the lyrics of “Sympathy for the Devil”, but with an emphasis on World War II, how could it be otherwise? Finally, 'I Am the Sword' brings the album back on a more rocking yet still heavy track. These three highlights have all that it needs to enrich a Motörhead album; they are compact and avoid useless gimmicks, they sound straight and catchy, they enthuse with directness and the typical Lemmy paradox: this filthy purity that made his band (and himself) to something special.

However, this trio after the somewhat unspectacular opener is not the only reason to enjoy the album. 'Liar', a bone-dry headbanger, grabs you by the collar, no matter whether it is blue or white. I always liked the fact that Motörhead can provide a good mood, but they can be very humourless as well. 'Liar' confirms this thesis with regard to its second part. 'Lost in the Ozone' also reflects a surprisingly serious and thoughtful band. Moreover, the melancholy of the lyrics is underlined by the dragging tempo of this song. I don’t want to say that I was surprised about the fact that Lemmy was a thinking man, but I did not know so far that he also took care about the climate. Religion, World War II, politics, okay – but here he broadened the spectrum.

Apart from the differences in terms of style and tempo, all songs benefit from the voluminous and powerful production. The guitars have an all-embracing sound, the drums are perfectly staged and Lemmy is, well, Lemmy. With all his authenticity, vocal constraints and perpetual unrest. The mid-paced 'We Bring the Shake' with its flawless flow is the final jewel, before the repetitive yet solid 'Devils', carried by a simple yet decent riff, brings the album to an end. It clocks in at 48 minutes, but its impact lasts longer. Or is there anybody out there who does not want to listen to some songs again?

Rating: 7.9 out of 10