Review by Michael on December 23, 2020.

How many ideas does our well-known Rogga Johansson have floating around in his head every day? In any case, he doesn't seem to get bored, because with Songs of Flesh and Decay he releases what feels like 666666 albums. But wait - if you look at the name of the band ("Stass"), you will find terms from Swedish (state or plaster), but they don't really fit an old school death metal band, do they? So look further and if you take a closer look at the musician ensemble, you will find that Felix Stass (the singer of Crematory (Germany)) is a co-founder of the band. That seems kind of sensible then, but unless your name is Ozzy, Rob or Donald Trump, I think it's a bit self-indulgent to name your band after yourself.

The first disc of the band was not well known to me until I found it not really an earth-shattering release. A mixture of death metal and some gothic. Well, now I have the second disc called Songs of Flesh and Decay of the German-Swedish collaboration and I must say that the disc is an extremely cool increase to the previous album. What is offered here is Swedish old school death metal of the finest kind. The melodies sound like they were recorded in the early 90s, the guitars have a fat sawing sound, the drums are produced first class and Felix sounds like a proper death metal singer should sound (I think he has similarities to old Entrails or Lik in his voice). The melodies are very catchy and groovy, there are always cool solos built into the songs. Particular standout songs are 'Skin That Peels Away', a fat mid-tempo track that gets stuck right in your ear canal, 'The Skeletons Are Ready', a galloping track with a nasty Autopsy middle section; 'As the Seasons bleach your Bones', a song Dismember couldn't have written better - very catchy and melodic as well as 'Dreams of Rotting Flesh', here the guys really pick up the tempo and flatten everything with a real riff storm.

As musical references I would mention old Dismember, Entombed, Carnage or Entrails, but here the cat bites the tail. A very clear buy recommendation for the still young death metal year 2021, even if you do not like Crematory. Stass has as little to do with this as Sabaton with real heavy metal. Very strong album!!!!

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by Alex on April 25, 2020.

We are seeing more musicians adopt the psychedelic sway in black metal with bands like Eadem and Golden Light (as of most recent memory) finding a valuable asset in it. Now comes White Nights with their debut EP, Into the Lap of the Ancient Mother.

The organ has always been an instrument I felt deserved more usage in black metal because it has (for me) sounded of great effect where atmosphere/ambiance are concerned. Hearing it on Into the Lap of the Ancient Mother and analyzing the way it was incorporated into the music has incited more pleasure than displeasure. Its continuous usage summons up a feeling of new beginning, celebration all the while appearing dismal. It somewhat fits what the band's theme seems to be, which is that of the Summer Solstice. And given that Into the Lap of the Ancient Mother comes out April 24th it would make sense its release be dated now for the approaching season.

The vocals resemble spoken chants more than those of the traditional vocal shriek or snarl which compliments the psychedelic sound on Into the Lap of the Ancient Mother. They are slightly similar to those heard on Inqusition's 'Bloodshed Across the Empyrean Altar beyond the Celestial Zenith' track and give off a death-wave feel that in-turn adds yet another layer to the music on the record. It's good that the vocals here are unorthodox thus the band's identity stand out and apart from others.

As a reiteration, the music here has a very psychedelic overtone, but it does not override the actual black metal aspect. Though opening song 'Litha' would seemingly be a bit more on the bizarre yet colorful side, the album takes a more recognizable shift towards the black metal aspect with the introduction of 'Drift From Irminsul' that is further reinforced with 'Bölthorn'.

Into the Lap of the Ancient Mother plays like a celebration if anything, in which the colorful artwork gives representation of, hence the blossoming season; however, still retains some of that ominous goodness home to black metal thanks to the ambiance atop the guitars and drums. Expectantly short for an EP but holds major promise of better work to come from the band. This brief display of audial delight be treated as a sign of what awaits on the horizon.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10