March Towards the Dying Sun / False Messiah / Shadow of Man / Hang the Saints / Fallen / Lost Kingdom / The Enabler / Gaia / Looking into Abyss / Pick Your Poison

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Intro / Reversed Dorians / Corrosive Haven / Altars of Ignorance / Carousel of Grief / Self-Fettered / Silent Psalm / The Heritage / Forget Us Like We Will Do

It’s clear from this album that Tortharry remains a well-oiled machine, and they’re able to deliver an appropriately brutal and groovy take on death metal that finds a balance between the origins of the genre and mid-90s variants that evolved out of it.  Although the closing track does overstay its welcome a bit, the subtle variations and number of riffs that stick with you makes this one worthy of the attention of death metal fans.  I’ll have to go back and check out some of the group’s back catalog to see where this stacks up, but they’ve made a strong first impression on me.
Metal Trenches

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Kořeny zla / Venom / Mercyful Fate / Bathory / Hellhammer / Celtic Frost / První vlna black-thrash metalu / Blasphemy / Samael / Rotting Christ a řecký black metal / Tormentor / Master’s Hammer / VON / Beherit / Mayhem (část 1.) / Mayhem (část 2.) / (Znovu)zrození hnutí (Norsko, část 1.) / Pěstí do tváře křesťanství (Norsko, část 2.) / Smrt legendy (Norsko, část 3.) / Thorns / Darkthrone / Burzum / Emperor / Gehenna / Gorgoroth / Trelldom / Opus Magnum (Mayhem, část 3.) / Bestie znovu ožívá (Mayhem, část 4.) / Black metal proniká do mainstreamu (část 1., Cradle of Filth) / Black metal proniká do mainstreamu (část 2., Dimmu Borgir) / Undergroundová etika / Les Légions Noires / Marduk (Švédsko, část 1.) / Dissection a Watain (Švédsko, část 2.) / Shining (Švédsko, část 3.) / Politika, Polsko a vzestup NSBM / Graveland a Infernum (polský black metal, část 1.) / Behemoth (polský black metal, část 2.) / Folk a folklór v black metalu (část 1., Enslaved) / Folk a folklór v black metalu (část 2., Moonfog a Ulver) / Folk a folklór v black metalu (část 3., rozmach black folk metalu) / Změna kurzu k podivnostem (část 1., Fleurety) / Změna kurzu k podivnostem (část 2.) / Sigh / Dødheimsgard / Mysticum (industriální black metal, část 1.) / Aborym (industriální black metal, část 2.) / Blacklodge (industriální black metal, část 3.) / Lifelover (post-black metal, část 1.) / Post-black metal (část 2.)

I am already very much looking forward to the next part, wherein Dayal Patterson will surely expand and elaborate upon such a rich subject matter that black metal certainly is. I am immensely grateful that MetalGate are publishing such excellent books and I will hope that there are many more to come in the future.
Echoes Zine

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Mayhem / Gorgoroth / Archgoat / Marduk / Impaled Nazarene / Beherit / Blackmetalové Finsko / Skitliv / Frost (1349, Satyricon) / Sigh / Taake / Enthroned / Clandestine Blaze / Hades Almighty

While the intensity of the Evolution of the Cult and its narrative finesse combined with the opinion of the musicians brought me to my knees, I must admit that the mini-book Prelude to the Cult, which is more of an addition and an expansion of the Evolution, impressed me more with its fanzine style and its selection of bands. I cannot imagine where Dayal Patterson will take us in the next sequel, but I am already looking forward to it!
Echoes Zine

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