Review by Felix on January 16, 2021.

Desaster never disappoint their followers, they always stick to their guns. This also applies to this EP, though it is not a highlight in Desaster’s discography.

The band wanted to release this EP to have published something similar to Sodom's "Expurse of Sodomy". So much for the theory. But back in 1987, Sodom released three epochal new tracks. By contrast, Desaster skimp on first published tunes. 'Fields of Triumph' appeared on their debut. And as everyone knows, the cover song 'Before the Creation of Time' honors Unleashed. Subject to these conditions, Desaster fought a losing battle in comparison with Tom Angelripper's battalion.

Nevertheless, the title track is a good standard. But on closer examination, this song might be the sole reason for buying this EP. In such circumstances, Desaster should have offered more than decent riffs, a solid chorus and the typical demonic vocals. Somehow the song just feels semi-finished. Perhaps this is due to its short play time of three minutes. So let us focus on the B-Side.

The re-edition of 'Fields of Triumph' might make sense due to the blurred production of the debut. But to be clear, I would have preferred a second new track, even if 'Fields of Triumph' is a further example of Desaster’s finest trademark. They combine a medieval melody with malicious thrash and the result is very impressive - not least because of the powerful production.

Cover songs should be forbidden. Anyway, Desaster have increased the speed of Unleashed's classic and it is still an outstanding song. But first and foremost Unleashed deserve the praise.

One last note: the association with Sodom's legendary EP is emphasized by the simple, timeless design of the cover.

Rating: 7.1 out of 10

Review by Adam M on June 26, 2019.

Amon Amarth have been churning out their epic blend of melodic death metal for a while now.  They had started to be falling into a rut of putting out uninteresting albums compared to their best work.  This album, Beserker I believe is somewhat of a return to form for the band.  The albums With Oden On Our Side and Twilight of the Thunder Gods had this sort of heroic aspect that was mixed with melody to craft a really memorable experience.  I believe this album emulates this style more than their last few albums which have come up a bit short in my opinion. 

Songs like Raven’s Flight have the proper amount of catchiness and impact to become ingrained in your mind and these aspects are more omnipresent than on their previous few releases.  The band performs viking influenced melodic death metal and they have the more traditional aspects of their music in fine form here.  The songs bleed a viking trait that is very welcoming and adds to the music.  It still doesn’t equal their two fine works previously mentioned in this review, but it’s a nice kick back to good times.  You will feel good listening to Amon Amarth’s music and this is a trait that I feel was missing in recent releases.  The  passion is back and Amon Amarth is churning out quality melodic death metal again. 

What could be improved upon?  If the band wants to succeed in the future they could mix things up and attempt to be more progressive.  This will prevent them from becoming stale.  I was satisfied with this disc, but it’s not as good as the best melodic death metal releases I’ve heard this year by Bloodred Hourglass and Black Therapy.  Berserker is still a postive step in the right direction for the band.

Rating: 7.4 out of 10

Review by Felix on August 14, 2022.

This is what this album wants to be:

“This album is a tribute to Judas Iscariot and the protagonists of the radical late 90s / early 00s black metal movement”. End of quote, printed in the booklet.

This is what this album is not:

Your Misery, My Triumph spits on a transparent, clearly defined production. Moreover, it naturally shits on innovation. If it were a car, it would only have reverse gears. The release from 2020 is not multi-layered and it has never heard of technical nuances. It is not interested in any form of fragile or soft moments. The material cannot reach a broad audience, because Your Misery, My Triumph is a niche product. If there was one thing its creators did not strive for, it was consensus. But they also avoid any sort of experiment. Even surprising twists or turns do not show up. Nevertheless, the album cannot be blamed for making a boring offering.

This is what this album is:

No doubt, one needs good nerves to get through this massacre unscathed. Right from the beginning, Cold Earth take the fast lane and they stay on it during the entire 31 minutes. Indeed, it’s a total worship of Judas Iscariot – but much better than the sometimes nerve-shattering original with its overlong, at times boring compositions. Your Misery, My Triumph sounds maximum drastic, uncouth, intensive and narrow-minded. It’s a pure crusade against everything that does not fit into the thought patterns of the protagonists. Yes, I have realized that the fifth track, 'And Then, I Awoke From Deceitful Dreams', starts with a nearly atmospheric part. But we should not over-emphasize this moment of weakness. Most listeners might have died in the hailstorm of the first four songs anyway and, needless to say, 'And Then, I Awoke…' is also dominated by pure devastation. Murderous guitar lines cross the blades with the constant barrage of the drums while the raw vocals are almost cannibalised by the instrumental whirlwind. I don’t care, I just enjoy.

This is what I think about the album:

In a nutshell, Your Misery, My Triumph is awesome. Its fanaticism and its dogmatism, its unwillingness to compromise and its unleashed violence distinguish it. I do not agree that today’s scene consists only of “weakness, clownery and entertainment”, but I admit that only a few bands come closer than Cold Earth to the burning pits in the centre of black metal. I cannot name a highlight, because all songs (even the Judas Iscariot cover) make my blood boil and my pulse run faster. The Teutonic horde invites us to raise a chalice of poser’s blood, but unfortunately I do not have this liquid at hand right now. Anyway, I’ll count myself as part of the “elite” until proven otherwise. If you want to do the same, Your Misery, My Triumph provides the almost perfect soundtrack for this and impressive in its radicality.

Rating: 9 out of 10