NAZXUL - TOTEM - VAMPIRE RECORDS
This is a review of an older album, but seeing that it was only recently sent to Metallian Towers and that the effort is too notable to be ignored it is reviewed now. Another in the long list of Tolkien-inspired bands, Australia's mysterious five-piece describes itself as "extreme, brutal and evil black metal." That they certainly are, for there is no trace here of the weak European-driven synth-crap that these days parades as metal. It has to be pointed out that all black metal by virtue of its essence is extreme, brutal and evil, so the description is clearly redundant. Regardless, ignoring the 25-minute long last track which is mostly comprised of gusts of wind, etc. Nazxul (pronounced Nazul) plays akin to a mix of Impaled Nazarene and Marduk. Such is the extremity running in their veins. The album becomes more bottom-heavy on the track Distance Begins, but maintains its hyper-lashing stance. The guitars and vocals cloak the drums more often than not, but overall the sound is not a detraction. To summarize, if you wag your tail at Evol or Emperor you are bound to find this too heavy, but if you worship Marduk or Bestial Warlust this album needs to be in your collection. - Ali "The Metallian"