Review by Vladimir on September 23, 2024.

From the horrific death-defying depths of Boston, Massachusetts, comes a one-man black metal band by the name of Vein, consisting of one individual member called Death Fiend. Back in 2013, Vein has already presented itself to the world with its debut demo ...Into The Vein, but come October 14th, 2022, the band would return with its first full-length album Blood Oaths which was originally released by the label Eternal Death, and has ever since been re-released on cassette via Headsplit Records and on CD via Godz Ov War Productions. Let’s take a look at this beast and see what it has to offer, shall we?

After a pretty lengthy narration during the first half of the opening track “Total Vascular Collapse”, we finally get a glimpse of the awaited carnage that comes in the form of a primitive and bestial black metal from the fiery depths of hell, evoking an incredibly frightening and esoteric aura that shrieks through the caveman styled tremolo riffs, blast beats and intense vocals that vary between harsh shouting and gutturals. The overall atmosphere of Vein is on a different level from other black metal bands I’ve heard lately, because you truly get a sense of dwelling within an infernal realm where tormented souls scream out from every corner because every song contains these dark Ambiental elements in forms of distorted noises and echoing voices that add such a layer to the band’s sound, particularly with the example such as “L.S.D.” which really sounds like you’re overdosed and reliving the movie Altered States (1980). On top of the band’s original material, we also get a cover of Kilslug’s “Warlocks Witches and Demons” which is very much in tune with the rest of Blood Oaths tracklist, and some of you might find this as an interesting inclusion on the album or at least a relatively solid solution for prolonging the album’s runtime. Throughout this entire hellish journey, you will come to realize that the album really has a strong emphasis on dark ambiance and horrific atmosphere, which is pretty interesting considering that the band manages to keep it strong and consistent for the entirety of Blood Oaths, and since there is a huge element of tension and suspense, one can’t help but constantly think what horror awaits on the other side. 

What really stood out about the songwriting and the musical style of Vein is that it’s very close to bands such as Von, Blasphemy, Conqueror, early Beherit, and Archgoat, especially in its overall execution that feels like a balance of black and death metal which possesses strengths of both subgenres and yet still doesn’t break away from its established formula. Even the raw, cave-reverb and demo-like quality sound production gives out that feeling like the band was heading for that vintage bestial sound that sounds like grinding flesh and blood. The songs themselves aren’t all that outstanding or particularly interesting, but they do still manage to play out their part effectively thanks to the ominous atmosphere that they build. My first impression of this album was a bit perplexing because on hand I like what it does and where it goes, but on the other hand, I really feel like the band didn’t really do that much on this album because I feel like Vein could go even deeper in their songwriting and explore so much more. If there is one thing that they do successfully on Blood Oaths, it’s the fact that they keep things relatively simple and on point from beginning to end, because on its own their music still possesses a lot of strengths that are yet to be “unlocked” or “developed” in the future, especially because it shows a great deal of potential that could be further expanded and shaped into something more captivating. 

All in all, Vein’s Blood Oaths is a pretty decent album with tons of violence and a dark atmosphere, and such strengths show that the band is on a good path. I’ll have to admit, even though I enjoyed this album to a certain extent, I do still have high hopes for something even more powerful that will surely come to happen in a few years. If you’re a fan of bestial and caveman-styled black metal with an esoteric vibe, I recommend that you check it out. 

Rating: 7.3 out of 10

Review by Fernando on October 13, 2022.

The rustic Alpine metal maniacs Ungfell at this point need no introduction. With three records these Swiss warlocks have made their mark with their brand of savage folkish black metal that’s relentless yet very melodic and vibrant, and this month they’re reissuing the record that started it all for them, their Demo(lition), through Eisenwald.

Formed in 2014 by Menentekel, in this early incarnation the drums were played by Infermità, and while the current drummer Vâlant is present here (more on that later), for the most part this is indeed a demo, a very primitive and raw sounding demo, however, what’s very impressive and the definitive proof as to why Ungfell deserve the hype they’ve gotten, is how from the very beginning, Ungfell had a definitive and unmistakable sound, and ever since this demo, they’ve only improved.

However, and this is something I just have to say for the sake of disclosure, while Ungfell’s sound is indeed distinct and they would make it their own moving forward, this demo is where they overtly display their influences, and the influence a lot of metalheads will notice, is that of the unsavory and extremely controversial French band; Peste Noire, who are a band I really don’t have nor want to elaborate on, if you know, you know. The major differences Ungfell has with that band are obviously the lyrics (thank Satan), and the atmosphere and overall execution, while the band’s style is very much black/folk metal, the songs have a very thrashy and metallic sound, and the overall atmosphere is much more demented in a way that’s similar to old school Norwegian black metal, so while the very obvious comparison and similarity is there, musicwise, I’m also very aware and understand that these are the very fist songs, its a demo, and therefore, wearing their influences in their sleeves is very much inevitable at this stage.

Since this is a remastering, that also means the sound is gonna be different? Well, yes, but the way the demo was remastered is actually a bonus, since the sound is much clearer but all the rawness and grit from the original demo is intact, so it's really a bonus, especially for those looking to buy this on vinyl. And finally, much like when Eisenwald reissued the band’s debut full length, they also included a bonus track, in this case its a previously unreleased track which, according to the band is the very first track Vâlant ever played on, called 'De Wolf Vo Ringgebärg', and was written and recorded back in 2017, so in many ways this one track is the link between the band’s debut and their sophomore where they really hit their stride and locked on their own sound and style, and yes it’s a really good and strong track that could’ve easily fit in the debut or the sophomore, though, that’s also the one issue I have, this track coupled with the demo tracks is a wild disconnect, especially since it follows the rehearsal track that originally closed the demo, so does the feeling makes this reissue feel more like a compilation that a cohesive body of work, but at the same time, that doesn’t make the reissue bad and all the material is strong, but I do recommend approaching this reissue as both a snapshot of the band’s early days with a really good song that exemplifies their development.

All in all, this reissue is a welcomed addition for Ungfell. It shows the band at their early stage and it ends with a display of how far they’ve come so if you’re an Ungfell completionist this is an easy recommend, and for everyone else, a neat little curio.

Best tracks: 'De Wolf Vo Ringgebärg', 'Hagazussa', 'Vom Menschen Und Anderen Krankheiten'

Rating: 8 out of 10