Review by Felix on April 30, 2019.

The modern times are horrible in terms of politics, climate change and religious insanity, but there is one thing that really helps me to go on. It seems as if the metallic underground never stops to spit out new, competent bands. Here we have a Czech battalion and I hate to see that their album is released only on a Czech label I have never heard of. Given this situation, I am not surprised that I do not find a German mail order that has it on stock. Even the metal underground is not immune against horrible details.

However, Murder Inc. invite the listener to a nerve-racking orgy of thrash. I am not speaking about the overly precise, filigree, relatively melodic and sometimes a little bit lame kind of thrash that formations like Heathen have brought into our musical cosmos. Murder Inc. love to use the crowbar. The ten tracks sound wild, atrocious and uncompromising and not only their fastest parts have a mind-boggling effect. Especially the short adrenaline rush on the seventh position confirms this thesis in a matter of seconds. But there are many more pieces that send a clear message. Murder Inc. push the envelope of what's possible - nevertheless, they avoid sounding predictable or one-dimensional. There is enough diversity to keep the listener under tension and that's a good thing, even though the surprisingly soft intro of "Smrtihlav" and its equally relaxed ending seem to be small accidents.

These unexpected and pretty misplaced moments of lenience aside, the material nearly blows me away. An overdose of energy fights with merciless aggression and, as strange as this may sound, both sides leave the battlefield as winners. Albums like this one provide evidence that the current product of Kreator and similar outputs are nothing else but an act of betrayal, because they take the untamed spirit of thrash metal ad absurdum. However, speaking of Mille, Ventor and the other once adventurous guys, "Pleasure to Kill" is a comparable work which could have had an influence on the Czech ruffians while composing their songs. The vehemence reaches a very similar degree. Subtle nuances are for pussies. (I guess my wording brutalizes. Sorry for that but listening to this album has an effect on me...)

The full-length clocks in at 33 minutes - and everything is laid waste. Although Murder Inc. do not shy away from any form of violence, they do not offer a typical thrash / death metal cocktail. The formation keeps the fingers away from death metal tools such as low-tuned guitars or extremely deep vocals. The rumbling attacks hail the old, mostly European school of thrash while waiving all technical tricks. Consequently, very narrow-minded supporters of the Bay Area thrash formula will probably not enjoy this debut. But I like the impulsive force of the guitars, the stimulating hammering of the snare and the yelping hoarse dog that calls himself lead vocalist. No doubt, there is a lot of potential and we will be well advised to keep an eye on the further evolution of this insane horde.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Felix on August 15, 2019.

Wolves have always played a prominent role in terms of black metal. Remember the eponymous song of Marduk, Venom's "Cry Wolf" or "Impaler's Wolves", released by Graveland in 1999. Dragonflies or hamsters do not show up that much, if I am not mistaken. However, now Seid, hailing from this fascinating country called Sweden, have discovered this cute animal and they dedicate their third album to it. Ulv boasts with an adequate artwork, so far, so good, but let's check the music itself.

Seid are able to write gripping, atmospheric lines that draw the listener into the song in a matter of seconds. Their compositional formulas do not work without exception, but who creates only highlights? Usually, they realize their musical vision successfully. "A Gift for the Wanderer", for example, mirrors the song-writing talent of the dudes in an impressive manner. The track unveils a sonic kingdom of darkness and has the potential to teach the guileless audience the meaning of fear. It's a mid-paced song, but it does not lack tempo changes that create a dynamic appearance. Moreover, it cannot hide its Scandinavian roots (and this is something that can be said about each and every piece of this album). No doubt, this wanderer walks through a dark Swedish forest, maybe on slightly trodden paths, but with a firm step.

The album does not hold too many high-speed sequences. The band still rather focuses on moderate velocity and especially the more or less dragging parts remind me of Hades every now and then. Okay, the songs are not as thick as the highlights of "The Dawn of the Dying Sun", but Seid create a more than proper density, to say the least. The mix of melancholia, power and aggression has its charm and sometimes tragic and desperation shimmer through the notes as well. But no need for panic, the album has nothing in common with this whining sub-genre called suicidal black metal. Just concentrate on the coarse and raw vocals. No doubt, he homogeneity of the material results in a coherent, but not monotonous package of melodic black metal. I don't say that each and every track hits the bull's eye. Unfortunately, exactly the opener suffers from quite mediocre and somewhat viscous guitar lines. But, as mentioned before, the overall impression is a positive one.

Unlike the music, the lyrics seem to be influenced by Unleashed. Or what would you say about lines like "We raise our horns as true men of our lands"? Johnny Hedlund smiles, and I do the same when listening to tracks like "Odal Lands", because they combine venomous harshness and rather relaxed melody lines. Finally, the production also contributes to the positive impact of the album. The guitars do not lack power, the drums are transparent and especially some double bass driven sequences generate a more or less massive wall of sound. Thus, I can recommend this output of a band that obviously sees no reason to modify its style significantly - and neither do I. And if there is any wolf with another opinion, then it should be shot.

Rating: 7.4 out of 10