Review by Alex on March 15, 2023.

And the long never ending journey continues with Runemagick's latest state of sickness, Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind. This release appeared to be inevitable when reflecting on the album immediately before this one. Thought was good though it seemed to be missing something essential. This one on the other hand retains that special ingredient found on nearly all of Runemagick's albums. Thus I think it's fair to say that Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind could be categorized with their more successful entries to some degree. This one leans heavily on the doom side whilst still being able to carve out enough dm from the remaining spoils. Emphasizing on a groovy yet grueling and gritty sound, Runemagick has cast down an authoritative hand to remind both the initiated and casual why their legacy is one of such everlasting weight and decor.

If you thought the opening track 'Archaic Magick (After The Red Sun)' was a beast on all levels of heaviness, then your thoughts on 'Endless Night Of Eternal End' will probably be something along the lines of what fucking world did I just land in. This composition strikes all the correct chords rhythmically. Utilizing a groovy and catchy song structure it easily serves as a great followup from 'Archaic Magic' and chauffeur to 'Revocation Of Spectral Paths' (excellent track title by the way). Provided this element continues to be active throughout the playtime of the album, Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind sets itself steadily in consistency as far as maintaining a strong conceptual feel if anything almost strongly reminiscent of Ahab's "Call Of The Wretched Sea".

The synths used throughout this album alongside the pummeling pounding and occasional backing chants work cohesively to build into escalated passages that are then converted back to knuckle dragging instrumentation as heard on the despair driven track titled, 'The Storm Rode Beyond The Firmament' which is already the fourth installment of six on Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind. Transcendental in its motions, the tunes never fail to snatch the sense of time form the listener effortlessly. Paired with the strategic composition of this unified collective, there is no doubt this record will be spun many times (consecutively) on the turntables of thousands.

'Nocturnal Deities Of Winter', jeez, Runemagick struck the listener with a pillar from the dm towers of 1994 while simultaneously keeping the momentum and tonality tuned to the direction they wanted the album. It's the team effort that has in turn reflected an excellently assembled record for Runemagick. From point A to point B, you can't help but acknowledge just how seamless each song is woven into the next, how each vocal note glows with expression, the way each beat of the drum is struck with passion and purpose, how each guitar lick is played with precision and compliments the other musical aspects including the keyboards heard. Mimicking a near perfect installment from the first track right down to the title track, Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind will easily be recognised and hailed as one of the best albums of the modern era crafted and put forth by a band that has not lost its touch and does not appear to be losing steam or ready to end the journey any time soon.

Beyond The Cenotaph Of Mankind is slated for release April 28th, 2023 on both cd and the all time favorite and most deserving, vinyl, through Hammerheart Records. Sit at the forefront and experience the magick Runemagick stir in their 30 plus year old bubbling cauldron.

Rating: 9.7 out of 10

Review by Felix on July 28, 2019.

The Haunted is one of these bands that have lost their integrity completely during their career. In Flames say hello, but let's stay at The Haunted. How can a combo call the opener of its debut "Hate Song" - and believe me, this is a fitting title - and release afterwards albums like The Dead Eye or Versus? Of course, almost a decade lies between these works and the here reviewed debut. Nevertheless, don't speak of "natural evolution". Let's call it self-denial or musical treason.

Anyway, the first album of The Haunted scores with almost virginal innocence. Tracks like the opener or "Undead" do not need groovy sections. They destroy everything that stands in their way with Slayer-like riffing, straight patterns, an overdose of velocity and a pinch of punk vibrations. "Choke Hold" is cut from the same cloth, staccato riffing is combined with freely flowing leads and the drummer tortures his kit with uttermost precision and power. These tracks show the young The Haunted at its best and sound like an eruption of hatred, brutality and mercilessness. Great tunes that have never lost their fascination throughout the last twenty years.

On the other hand, the more groove-oriented "In Vein" reflects the less murderous facet of the debutants. This track is pretty ambivalent, because it reveals a somewhat whiny touch. I am pretty sure that I have found a homeopathic dose of grunge and commercialism in this song. But okay, one representative of mediocrity does not hurt the quality of the full-length in a significant manner. More important is that the dudes shred their guitars as thoroughly as possible. The sound of the six strings is a key factor for the rude appearance of the well-produced album. Moreover, the voice of Dolving must be mentioned in this context. I like his rampant performance up to a certain point, but his voice also expresses a missionary zeal which is typical for some hardcore or punk combos that are able to see through the hype, to save the whales and to condemn material values of all kind (until they inherit the house of their once hard working parents).

Tunes like "Bullet Hole" are located between the speedy eruptions and "In Vein". The slicing riffing is combined with a less vehement drum approach, while the occasionally knocking double bass drum increases both the heaviness and the dynamic. Indeed, some songs of the album's second half do not reach the level of fury that shapes the highlights of the first six tracks. But there are also velocity-fueled injections like "Shattered". It lies in close proximity to the angry assaults at the beginning without being representative for the second half. The Swedes drift into their own form of thrash that unites many traditional elements with some modern ingredients. Be that as it may, one thing is out of question: The Haunted's eponymous debut offers only more or less repulsive and nasty sounds. The final highlight ("Blood Rust" with its very coherent riffing and a pretty triumphant chorus) and the last number, introduced by an atmospheric beginning with spoken vocals, close a good and technically competent work, forged by a band that did not lack integrity until then.

Rating: 8 out of 10