Review by Alex on December 3, 2018.

This effort by Terranaut and Chaosophy whom contrast each other greatly in terms of playing styles and genres is an interesting release when analyzing both the production quality and the musical standards of both these projects. Terranaut plays a form of early 2nd wave black metal mixed with raw black metal, hence the loudly mixed guitars and the almost inaudible bass guitar. Chaosophy however, play a form of black metal that can be aligned with the more melodic side of the genre, also the production is noticeably cleaner than that of Terranaut on the split recording. Terranaut’s sound creates the impression that the band members intended to put forth something that appeared to mimic the time in which 1st wave black metal was transitioning into the era of second wave black metal. This incorporated the use of keyboards and possessed either a fairly symphonic or melodic sound. It's a clash of old and modern eras of black metal, both performances pick at the selected time frames in a decent representation of both. 

Terranaut’s side of the split is filled with massive landscapes that blends melancholy along with the pagan influenced style of black metal. “Foretold Demise” is the best example of the merging of theses two styles. The soaring guitar tremolo shares the spotlight with that folky style often heard on pagan black metal records. “Remnants” focuses more on creating a fierce, warlike atmosphere; the thrashing segment on this track comes across as a very convincing nod to first wave black metal. Though this effect was not used as long as I would have liked it to be, for its short lived presence it did do enough to give the music enough depth. Opening with an instrumental I can accept, but closing with one is often rejected by my musical preference in composition choices. However, “Futile Legacy” was excellently composed and gave Terranaut’s portion of the split a greater feeling of completion and even helped in the ushering in of the Chaosophy side. I see this a very thoughtful move as it shows that Terranaut is committed to the long term goal of success. 

Chaosophy’s side of the split features 3 songs that are roughly 8 minutes a piece. “Whores of The Christ God” begins with a short instrumental that bursts into a melodic groovy fury of sickening snarls that conveys the feeling of hatred excellently. The song title is blasphemous enough but the vocals really up the tempo on the disdain. This track also has the addition of synth that is exquisite whenever used; in those moments I felt as though I was listening to Lost Horizon’sA Flame To The Ground Beneath. “Serpents of Thoughtless Light” kept the keyboard synth in the slower sections of the song but lowered the volume of its mix to blend with the guitar landscapes being painted. He track displayed the transition of speed and graceful melody back and forth. It’s a piece of music that deserves much praise for elegantly mixing styles in a harmonious fashion. It doesn’t sound like parts were tossed in to just fulfill the purpose of variation, instead it displays to the listener how each note played on any musical piece should be connected in order to present an authentic representation of the feelings and themes being expressed through the medium. 

Both bands provided acceptable performances on the split, with each doing a fantastic job of keeping the atmospheric influence high. 

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Allan on March 30, 2002.

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of power metal, except for a few standout bands. So, that is why I was pleasantly surprised when I came across Tad Morose’s latest offering, “Matters of the Dark”. I was surprised that a band as good as these guys could go so unnoticed and underrated in the metal scene. The bands of style of power, thrash, and melody is very convincing to even the most skeptical of power metal.

Not knowing what to expect, I was hooked from the very first start of the album with 'Sword of Retribution', with its excellent riffs and a solo that made me rewind to hear it again. The rest of the album follows the same suit, thankfully. While all staying in that same suit, they aren’t all identical. The title track, 'Matters of the Dark', has excellent riffs that just make you want to bang your head. The two closing tracks, 'The Devil’s Finger' and 'Don’t Pray For Me', are really great and hold a lot of diversity, and definitely act as a great closing for the album. They end the album strong, instead of the whole thing starting strong and dying out. 'New Clear Skies' has excellent groove to it, while not seeming out of place. In fact, the whole album has a really nice groove to it. Ultimately, the entire album has seamless transitions, whether it be verse to chorus, song to song, or whatever else. Tad Morose does an excellent job, sounding similar to Jag Panzer, Nevermore, Dio, and Lefay, while still retaining a sound of their own.

The musicianship of the band is great. I really enjoy vocalist Urban Breed. He does a nice job fitting with the melody, and is not annoying by going to high, or doing an unfitting style of death or black. The two guitarists, Christer Andersson and Daniel Olsson, do an excellent job with song writing and their playing ability is fantastic. The rhythm section definitely does a great job, instead of just being there for the sake of being there.

Bottom Line: Tad Morose has the composing ability, the energy, the musicianship, and the experience to make an excellent album. Definitely underrated and under appreciated within the scene, I hope that this album can shed a little bit more light onto the band for people who haven’t been exposed to them.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 6
Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.6 out of 10

Review by Allan on March 30, 2002.

Admittedly, I’m not the biggest fan of power metal, except for a few standout bands. So, that is why I was pleasantly surprised when I came across Tad Morose’s latest offering, “Matters of the Dark”. I was surprised that a band as good as these guys could go so unnoticed and underrated in the metal scene. The bands of style of power, thrash, and melody is very convincing to even the most skeptical of power metal.

Not knowing what to expect, I was hooked from the very first start of the album with 'Sword of Retribution', with its excellent riffs and a solo that made me rewind to hear it again. The rest of the album follows the same suit, thankfully. While all staying in that same suit, they aren’t all identical. The title track, 'Matters of the Dark', has excellent riffs that just make you want to bang your head. The two closing tracks, 'The Devil’s Finger' and 'Don’t Pray For Me', are really great and hold a lot of diversity, and definitely act as a great closing for the album. They end the album strong, instead of the whole thing starting strong and dying out. 'New Clear Skies' has excellent groove to it, while not seeming out of place. In fact, the whole album has a really nice groove to it. Ultimately, the entire album has seamless transitions, whether it be verse to chorus, song to song, or whatever else. Tad Morose does an excellent job, sounding similar to Jag Panzer, Nevermore, Dio, and Lefay, while still retaining a sound of their own.

The musicianship of the band is great. I really enjoy vocalist Urban Breed. He does a nice job fitting with the melody, and is not annoying by going to high, or doing an unfitting style of death or black. The two guitarists, Christer Andersson and Daniel Olsson, do an excellent job with song writing and their playing ability is fantastic. The rhythm section definitely does a great job, instead of just being there for the sake of being there.

Bottom Line: Tad Morose has the composing ability, the energy, the musicianship, and the experience to make an excellent album. Definitely underrated and under appreciated within the scene, I hope that this album can shed a little bit more light onto the band for people who haven’t been exposed to them.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 6
Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Production: 8
Overall: 7

Rating: 7.6 out of 10