NECROMANTIA: Crossing The Fiery Path LP 

Special reissue, marble 180g vinylvinyl, 8 page vinyl size booklet on  full-color on 190g offset paper, jacket full-color on 350gsm, plus PVC overbag. Limited to 300 copies.

Featuring then-Rotting Christ member Morbid/Magus Daoloth (who also worked with Sakis Tolis and Jim Mutilator of that band in the legendary Storm Studio) Necromantia were arguably the second most significant band in terms of establishing and spreading the Greek black metal sound. Cut from the same cloth as Thy Mighty Contract and early Varathron, this debut album is nevertheless bears a distinct identity of its own, most obviously due to the guitars taking a backseat, the late Baron Blood instead wielding an 8 string bass, a point underlined by ‘Unchaining the Wolf (At War...)’ but also evident in the sound throughout.

Synths and pianos also dominate, and in part this unusual set up is responsible for the often minimal, bare bones sound. Combined with the purposely ritualistic direction of much of the songwriting, this results in a very archaic and occult feel – now recognisable traits of course for 90s Greek black metal. That said, there are definite nods to the likes of Samael and Hellhammer in the combination of drawn out, plodding passages and more galloping, even upbeat, high-paced parts, but the old school horror feel is far more accentuated here thanks both to the synth and the gleefully creepy interludes, which somewhat pre-empt Japan’s Sigh. Much like that band’s 90s releases, the whole affair is unashamedly idiosyncratic and blends the crude and primitive with the ambitious and imaginative, and it absolutely deserves the repeated listens necessary to really get to grips with it.

Necromantia are interviewed and discussed in both the 'Black Metal: Evolution of the Cult' and 'Non Serviam: The Official Story Of Rotting Christ' books, also available at this store. Official flags and shirts are also in stock.

1. The Vampire Lord Speaks...
2. The Warlock
3. Last Song for Valdezie
4. Unchaining the Wolf (At War...)
5. Intro
6. Les Litanies de Satan
7. Lord of the Abyss
8. Tribes of the Moon

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