Review by Nekrist on February 22, 2026.

Black metal is not just a musical style; it's an artistic expression that evokes the darkest and deepest feelings and sensations of the human psyche. A perfect sonic example of what I just said would be this self-titled debut album by the Russian band Teufelsdom.

One thing I usually consider when a band releases a self-titled album is that I see it as a statement of principles. By being self-titled, they're indicating something like, "Here we are, this is our music, and who we are." And this is exactly what Teufelsdom has achieved with this new work, which I've had the honor of receiving directly from the band. For some time now, they've been entrusting their music to my personal opinion and critique, which brings me enormous satisfaction because the artists believe my judgment does justice to their work.

But putting aside the delays and getting right to the point, "Teufelsdom" is an album that showcases the progression and maturation of this band through their releases, a progression I was able to appreciate gradually as the band slowly sent me their material for review. What I found here was black metal in its purest and most primitive form, with a captivating and hypnotic touch, very much in the vein of "Transilvanian Hunger" (which was the first reference that came to mind upon hearing it). The riffs are enveloping and sinister, a step forward compared to the band's previous releases. Some of my favorite riffs are found in the songs 'Adamas Ater' and 'Сад гнилых костей,' which are quite outstanding and held my attention throughout the four listens I gave this album. The vocals maintain that "necro" touch so characteristic of this band; they literally sound as if a corpse were behind the vocal performance on this album, with a misanthropic and subtle style that drains the life force of anyone who listens to the phrases of each song being recited with such profound hatred. There are a few instrumental passages that give a breath of fresh air after all the oppressive sonority we are being exposed to throughout the record, which is a really good move here from the band.

The drumming is competent and very enjoyable, maintaining the aforementioned hypnotic structure and atmosphere with precise use of the kit. It doesn't need elaborate technical displays to achieve its objective; with surgical strikes, it manages to coherently maintain and weave the album's structure. Another aspect that not many people mention in music reviews is the cover art, which, in my opinion, is almost as important as the musical content of a record. In this case, we can see a kind of tower being destroyed by an evil spirit, a simple cover, but one that perfectly illustrates what you'll find once you press the "play" button and dare to immerse yourself in this dark side of sonic aggression.

A great debut album that has met my standards for primitive black metal. I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing this work, and I will certainly continue listening to it in the coming days. I look forward to seeing how Teufelsdom progresses with future releases. A great start.

Rating: 9 out of 10