Aquarius Records: Search Results for Title: Virus West
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album cover NAGELFAR Virus West (Van) cd 17.98
We've been meaning to re-list this for a while now. A reissue of one of our favorite black metal records EVER. Virus West, originally released way back in 2001, was the final step in this German band's progression, from folky Viking black metal to experimental avant black metal to something way more primal and raw, but somehow no less original or avant.
AQ list subscribers who might not have been hip to these guys back in the day, might recognize the name, as some of the Nagelfar folks went on to form big time aQ faves Ruins of Beverast and Kermania as well as the equally brilliant Graupel and Verdunkeln (who we have yet to review/list).
So what is it exactly about this disc that makes it so amazing? It's a bit hard to describe. The sound is very Scandinavian, harkening back to the classic sound of the nineties Norwegian elite. The sound is thick and buzzing, the vocals a chaotic howl, the drumming a crushing pound as often as a thrashing blast, but as with most things like this, much of the magic is mood and atmosphere, and these guys conjure up a truly intense and darkly magical mood, while at the same time, kicking out some of the most classic sounding riffs ever. Much of their time is spent plodding doomily along, buzzing midtempo lurches in the spirit of Darkthrone, but they also offer up some serious thrashing blackness, peppered with long slow crawls, chanted monk like vocals, lots of dynamics, stop start riffing, weird keyboards, little bits of triumphant majesty giving way to brutal growling black metal buzz, field recordings, bits of dark fluttery folk, but again it's the mood that makes this record, the way the band capture a certain essence, the spirit of black metal, managing to be true and grim and classic sounding, but also just fucked up enough to make it special, and part of that is the fact that the songs are all crazy catchy, with a certain amount of groove, hooks everywhere, the riffs stick in your head, the songs, as black and buzzy as they are, linger like pop songs long after the record ends.
The final track, "Meuterei", is the perfect encapsulation of what was so great about Nagelfar. Beginning with some strummed acoustic guitars, some Viking style chanting, the band launch into a cool midtempo mathy metallic old school metal groove, underpinned by furious blast beats, until they switch it up into a triumphant metal march, complete with what sounds like horns playing a regal fanfare. Then we're back in the grimy old school black metal filth, a buzzing snarling midtempo crush, before exploding into some chaotic blackened riffing, various guitar parts all tangled up into a heaving roiling whole, the drums holding it together with their relentless pound, so goddamn good.
Such a shame this marked the end of Nagelfar, but for those who still need more, be sure and check out Ruins Of Beverast, Verdunkeln and all the rest...
MPEG Stream:
"Hellebarn"
MPEG Stream: "Sturm Der Katharsis"

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