Tsjuder: Antiliv

These guys are always on my to-check list. They churn out very raw, in-your-face black metal out there, not the most polished but one of the most effective, I should say. Antiliv is another day in the office for the trio, some 'zines out there are dismissing this one as boring & nothing special. Many of us are moved by such appraisals but nothing beats listening to the actual release & forming your opinions thereafter. If you are interested, do consider the deluxe box version where some cover tunes are included including recorded rehearsal tracks. To me, these are gems because they capture the band in their stripped down form in terms of readiness. Of course, there are other goodies in the package- a patch (sadly not a woven version) & a flag. Tsjuder!!

Tsjuder: Legion Helvete

Tsjuder, the black metal stalwarts who gave us that absorbing release, Desert Northern Hell back in 2004, called it quits in 2006. But they reformed in 2010 & this is the fruit of that reunion. It's rather arduous being a black metal outfit in Norway as the standards set by one's peers are way up there but Tsjuder did alright. They are still doing well today because after a spin of any one of their releases you'd here solid composers peddling good music; this we often dismiss because to many of us, black metal being good music is an oxymoron. Legion Helvete is simply a composed release, many of us bear allegiance to its predecessor but Legion Helvete contains that slight establishment which makes it less adventurous somewhat. Nevertheless, Legion Helvete is not about coming back to draw attention to one's absence, it's highlighting the fact that the music wasn't affected by the hiatus.