Review by Nekrist on December 21, 2025.

Although I don't usually write reviews for releases other than EPs or full-length albums, I sometimes find or receive (depending on the case) demos and singles that help me orient myself and understand what bands and artists, in general, want to convey through their music. I must admit that there are demos that I find truly forgettable and completely irrelevant, while in other cases, the demos turn out to be much better and more interesting than, paradoxically, full records themselves.

In this particular case, I was sent a demo by a Russian band (duo) called Teufelsdom. For those unfamiliar with the German language, the name of this band could be translated into English as "The Devil's Cathedral," an imposing and convincing name to say the least, which definitely caught my attention enough to make me sit down and give this blasphemous and obscure work several listens to extract as much as I could from it.

This demo, with the title roughly translated to Impurities Of The Burning Abyss, consists of two songs that transport the soul to an abyssal void that drains the vital energy of anyone who dares to cross it and enter its sinister cacophony. Both songs get straight to the point, without beating around the bush, directly freezing the spirit. The riffs are spectral and extremely captivating, maintaining that primitive and classic touch that many bands achieved during the 90s. At times, it reminded me of an album as underrated and forgotten in the distant past as "Total Death" by the mighty Darkthrone or some passages from the legendary "Dark Medieval Times" by the then-furious and inspired Satyricon. The drums perfectly accompany the whole atmosphere presented. There are no technicalities here, just black metal in its purest and most ancient essence. It's a performance very much in keeping with the nocturnal and gloomy sound. The vocals can be described as the screams of a tormented specter, who has returned to the world of the living in search of revenge and bloodlust, with a cavernous tone that may recall Blasphemy's legendary "Blood Upon The Altar," that putrid voice that corrupts everything it touches.

My conclusion is that we are in front of a pretty solid demo, but unfortunately, too short for my taste. It left me longing for more, or as people say around here, «with the honey on my lips». So for this very reason, it cannot give it a higher mark, but I still consider it to be good enough to deserve a solid 9/10. I've been listening to both songs all afternoon, hoping that at some point in time Teufelsdom will surprise me with a full-length that will continue what they've presented here. Russian black metal has something very special that seems to ignite some sort of inner flame inside of me.

Rating: 9 out of 10