Band: ÖRTH
Country: Norway
Title: Nocturno Inferno
Label: Satanic Art Media
Year: 2017
Style: Black Metal

Review:
What later became the band Arvas was first Orth, a trio active under this moniker between 1992 and 1999, and here's its first and only recorded full-length album. The story surrounding this album is pretty interesting although I've heard it already a few times with other bands, so its credibility is up to you: the material was recorded between '95 and '96, and was meant for a '96 recording, but the master got lost; it seems that some copies of it were distributed by the band to close friends previous to the master loss, and here we are 20 years later with the 10 tracks found again and released as they were meant in '96. The production sure sounds like from two decades ago, but that doesn't necessarily means it's bad, actually it gives the music that initial mystical atmosphere surrounding the Norwegian scene back then. The riffs are better than a lot of bands manage to deliver nowadays, very expressive, with a certain Pagan feel to them, the vocals are less versatile than they should be, but sound pretty eerie and razor-sharp, the drums are complex and prove to be really important for the general outcome, and the bass lines are intricate as well with a perfect production to give them emphasis and clarity. I love the expressivity this album has, the band seems to have taken its time to build tension and atmosphere, so that the result sounds well-thought, well-executed and well-delivered. Underground Black Metal at it's best but remember, it has that dusty, stuffed, foggy production from 20 years ago.
Reviewed by Adrian
Rating: -/10

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