Album Review: Black Altar – Winds ov Decay/Beastcraft – Occult Ceremonial Rites – Split (Odium Records)

To celebrate their 21st anniversary, polish black metallers Black Altar are releasing a split with Beastcraft. Set to be released on November 30th by Odium Records. It will come as an eight panel digipack cd with 16 page booklet, gatefold black 180g LP and limited to 50 copies wooden box with cd, red vinyl, 2 t-shirts, patch, pin, posters and loads of rarities concerning Black Altar.

Black Altar’s offerings get the split rolling with Tophet’s blackened metal evilness ringing out in style following an hauntingly ancient intro. A nasty guttural sound played loudly & in perfect clarity, it’s followed by the intense heaviness of Wings ov Decay. Both tracks show off the blackened metal talents of a band at ease with delivering ritualistic evilness.

A cover of their split-mates track, Petagram Sacrifice & a short ominous outro finishes off Black Altar’s ceremony.

It’s now up to Beastcraft to keep the momentum going & after an unsettling intro (In the Hour of the Horns) they come roaring out of the gates of Hell. What comes with Deathcraft & Necromancy is something of a surprise. Bringing a raw but incredibly detailed post-black metal sound that is brilliantly structured with dark melody. A stunning effort.

After that it’s hard not to have high expectations & while Blackwinged Messiah has a more traditional black metal sound it still delivers on dark & evil heaviness.

A live version of Burnt at His Altar has the rough, club like feel you might expect before a raw & messy sounding Ressurection Through Desecration and Churchfires & …In Thy Glory brings an even nastier sound & the album to a disappointing close.

A confused offering, the lack of cohesion with the tracks results in a messy & confused listen. The highlight is the stunning Deathcraft & Necromancy but beyond that Beastcraft can’t hold their own against Black Altar.

Black Altar – Winds ov Decay/Beastcraft – Occult Ceremonial Rites – Split Full Track Listing:

1. Black Altar – Intro
2. Black Altar – Tophet
3. Black Altar – Wings ov Decay
4. Black Altar – Petagram Sacrifice (Beastcraft Cover)
5. Black Altar – Outro
6. Black Altar – Tophet (Different Version)
7. Beastcraft – In the Hour of the Horns
8. Beastcraft – Deathcraft & Necromancy
9. Beastcraft – Blackwinged Messiah
10. Beastcraft – Burnt at His Altar (Live)
11. Beastcraft – Ressurection Through Desecration and Churchfires
12. Beastcraft- …In Thy Glory

You can order the album in it’s many different formats over on Odium Records store. Find out more/keep up to date with news about Black Altar by checking them out on their website & on Facebook. You can also find out more about Beastcraft via their Facebook Page.