HYPOCRISY
«Roswell 47»
rating: 3 of 6
Hmmm, I don’t consider this clip as something unique or, at least, interesting. The whole video was shot at the studio during recording sessions, showing total lack of imagination and any kind of plot. It just pictures Lars, Mikael and Peter playing their instruments, smoking and drinking beer... Was it the guilt of low budget or perhaps something else, guys...? I hope to see more impressive HYPOCRISY’s videos in the future...

KATAKLYSM
«The Awakener»
rating: 6 of 6
«The Awakener» strikes as one of the best videos I’ve seen last year... Great shooting, intriguing plot, perfect sfx’s and.... inimitable music, of course! I don’t think that there’s a need to describe what is going on in this video - better buy it and see yourself. I can assure you that «The Awakener» is worth buying.

THERION
«The Beauty In Black»
rating: 5, 5 of 6

If I’m not mistaken, «The Beauty In Black» is the first official video from THERION and it had extremely positive effect on me. «The Beauty...» captures medieval atmosphere and the main subject regards aristocracy of sixteenth century. There’re three actors - a guy and an Asian-looking girl with Christopher Johnsson as an «evil» priest... I didn’t get the main plot behind «The Beauty...», but does it really matter? I guess not. This clip is done at very high level... it’s almost perfect. If you still don’t own this one, better hurry up...

CROWN OF THORNS
«Of Good And Evil»
rating: 5 of 6
Uprising kings of Swedish death / black metal - that’s my definition for CROWN OF THORNS. They’ve released two CD’s so far - «The Burning» in 1995 (where this song is taken from, by the way) and «Eternal Death» in 1997. Both were released through little label, called Black Sun, which however managed to promote CROWN OF THORNS pretty good... Or how would you explain that «Of Good And Evil» appeared in MTV’s Headbanger Ball? Anti-christian attitude runs through the entire video, a thing, which I really appreciate. You won’t find anything «special» here, in spite of this I’m sure that «Of Good And Evil» will appeal to you really well. Probably because of top-quality shooting or magnificent scenery... I don’t know the reason exactly, but as I already said, I like it. My best recommendations to all fans of both, black and death metal genres.

DERANGED
«Killing Spree»
rating: 4 of 6
Well, «Killing Spree» creates quite strange impression on me... Unfortunately, I haven’t heard DERANGED on CD so I can’t say if there is any difference between sound / music in this clip and their audio recordings, but... It seems that sound engineer was simply drunk while making his job, so guitars and drums appear as the only instruments which can be heard - vocals are almost non-existent; Per opens his mouth but there’s no sound coming out of there... Bass passages are also fucked up... I don’t know, maybe it was their goal when it comes to music, however I don’t like it very much. As to video - it looks pretty good and attractive for fans of death / black metal and the only shortcoming here concerns aforementioned «strange» sound...

AT THE GATES
«Blinded By Fear»
rating: 3 of 6
«Nothing» is the best word, characterizing «Blinded By Fear». I respect AT THE GATES for being the first ones, who embarked on the path of death / black metal in Sweden, and I like their music, especially «Slaughter Of The Soul» album, which features «Blinded By Fear» song. But as a video it has nothing to offer. Just musicians, surrounded by good scenery and headbanging grimacing red-haired Tomas Lindberg... And nothing else. A bit more imagination won’t harm your future clips, guys... 

DISAFFECTED
«Vast - The Long Tomorrow»
rating: 5, 5 of 6
Together with DERANGED, I got acquainted with this Portugeese band only through video, being absolutely unfamiliar with their creations in audio format. I only heard that they play death metal and released one CD so far... Well, I wouldn’t call DISAFFECTED’s (what a ridiculous name!) style as DM - these guys are much more close to dark, obscure doom metal with deep growling vocals and atmospheric keyboards. «Vast - The Long Tomorrow» was shot in a way, which I like - professional, intriguing, dark and grim... I believe that DISAFFECTED are quite close to black metal with their unholy music and image... At least, they sound (and look) much better than those MOONSPELL fags. Okay, back to the video... Aha! Looks like I told you everything I could. Highly recommended.

KING DIAMOND
«Plague In Prague»
rating: 1 of 6 
Oh no, one more bootleg...! Both, sound and amateur shooting, are as irritating as possible... I expected «Plague...» to be unprofessional video, although there was a hope inside of me at least to see impressive show - however it appears as rather incomprehensible. I never thought that it would look like that - dull, uninteresting, without any show of talent... This video also includes a couple of MERCYFUL FATE’s live recordings - and they are even worse (if it’s possible). Ohhh.... it sucks.
 
DIMMU BORGIR / DISSECTION
«Live And Plugged 1996 - 97»
rating: DIMMU BORGIR - 5 of 6
        DISSECTION - 4 of 6
Ahhh, DIMMU BORGIR finally unleashed it’s first official video... I could never understand individuals who accused DIMMU BORGIR in «becoming commercial», just because they were signed to Nuclear Blast. People, will you ever comprehend that it’s impossible to earn big money playing BM, even in so-called «commercial» way?! Good promotion and large distribution service never harmed anything - and these are the things, which Nuclear Blast is famous with. You know, I never really liked this German label (they release too much crappy music in my view...), but who the hell am I to accuse DIMMU BORGIR is doing something that I don’t really appreciate?! They have their own brains and have right to do everything they want to! And as to «becoming commercial band»... Well, you better purchase this video and find out yourself if it’s truth... Personally I believe that it will only make you agree with my opinion of DIMMU BORGIR as one of the best Norse black metal acts... It includes live performance, few words from Silenoz, Shagrath, Nagash and Astennu (new guitar player, which replaced Shagrath who is now concentrated completely on vocals) about the concept of DIMMU BORGIR, their music, lyrics and personal view + some kind of a clip on «Mourning Palace» tune (pretty weak ones, I fear... - I mean clip, not song). Of course concert is most interesting thing on this tape - very good shooting, corpse-painted musicians, Shagrath pouring blood on himself and Stian Aarstad, who looks very funny behind his keyboards - tall, thin, with «a-la Dracula» makeup and short hair, covered by top hat... There’s no sence to describe their show, since it’s better to see it with your own eyes... Besides above-mentioned Norwegians this cassette features DISSECTION’s live show, also few words from drummer and bassist and + «Where Dead Angels Lie» clip, which is even more weaker and shitty than «Mourning Palace». Apart from the clip, DISSECTION’s concert part is quite impressive, but somehow more boring than DIMMU BORGIR’s... Perhaps, because of these Swedes’ music, which is less interesting and various when comparing to Shagrath and co.? I don’t know. Anyway, this video tape will be an excellent present for each self-respecting black metal fan... BUY IT.
P.S. Too bad, but it seems that DISSECTION has no future, since Jon Nodtveidt was charged in murder and imprisoned as far as rumour goes...