ORKBLUT - THE RETALIATION

......but with some nice little tweaks. 1995 was the year when black metal really started to branch out into symphonic, electro and progressive rock. This album is either one of the forerunners of this trend or it is just following a trend set by others. If my memories serves me right, and I advice caution, Abigor was pretty big at that time. They were signed on Napalm and this mini CD was their biggest seller that year.

History aside, the music here is pseudo-symphonic with black metal vocals and pretty furious riffing. The tempo is intercepted by some pretty pointless acoustic guitars and mood enhancing synths. I don't like any of those things. If I listen to black metal, I want black metal throughout the disc. Not some mindless widdly-wei pieces. The black metal is pretty decent and down the Emperor aka Nightside Eclipse alley. It has very little to do with progressive rock though and I guess this mini-cd will only attract post-black metal fans like myself. In my case, I am reviewing old promo CDs so the attraction I feel is questionable. Anyway, this mini CD is straight black metal anno 1995 and has not much to offer. Some pieces of music here is OK. That's it.

2 stars

Caught in between the dedication necessary to come out with another full-length, and the quick one-take demos they had done so many of, Abigor released 'Orkblut - The Retaliation', a mini- CD that met some acclaim and success when it was released in 1995. Although being little more than twenty minutes long, a similar quality to that which Abigor would employ on their full- lengths is here, making the album a good, condensed equivalent to a typical forty minute journey with the band. Abigor do not innovate much here, but there are enough fresh and exciting ideas woven into their traditional style to make 'Orkblut' stand as an engaging listen to this day.

Most notable of a sound for this band are their use of flutes throughout the EP. Split into a number of smaller interlude tracks, flutist Rune adds a tranquil, arboreal tinge to what is otherwise a fairly dark piece of melodic black metal. With half of the songs on the album being over within a minute, there is the sense that 'Orkblut' is meant to be listened to from start to finish, and in that respect, it works quite well. Abigor have created an interesting sense of flow for their music. Emperor would be a good comparison for the black metal sound of Abigor; although maintaining a dark atmosphere throughout their music, Abigor are able to weave some nice melodies into it, through use of guitar. The melodies are not particularly memorable, but they are a nice contrast to what would otherwise be a pure descent into darkness.

'Orkblut' is one of the band's first truly good releases, and they would get better from here. Abigor don't have the same innovative awe as a band like Emperor or Mayhem, but this Austrian act commands a similar sort of power in their music. 'Orkblut' is not an excellent album, but at last, their talent as musicians is finally able to shine through.