ET DIABOLICUS INCARNATUS EST…
“Part I”
Thunder Underground Productions
rating: 3 of 6
This is pretty weak compilation. The guy behind this young Greek label surely has a rather bad taste in music, or how else could we explain the fact that most of bands featured on this tape appear as quite mediocre? No, you won’t fund any pure crap here, the problem is that only few groups who contributed to “Et Diabolicus…” are above average. The tape starts with MIND REVOLT, rather pleasant melodic death metal act, even though vocals seem to be a bit out of place. S.C.A.L.P. from Russia is the second one, and, despite that this band manages to play highly exciting stuff, kinda ethereal doom / death metal, “Till The Clouds Fly” is one of their weakest songs ever; why the hell did they decide to choose exactly this one?? Ok, further on we EVENFALL, perhaps the shittiest band off this compilation. I can’t even recall what they’re all about now… UNDERTAKERS is death metal. No more, no less. Nothing really intriguing. INHUMATE seem to be heavily into both, grind and death metal, and so their song is: grinding death metal. Not bad. CALLENISH CIRCLE are the next and, no doubts, they stand against a background of dull and typical melodeath acts “Et Diabolicus…” is full with. Check ‘em out! (I mean CALLENISH CIRCLE, not “dull and typical melodeath acts”) Ok, the first side is over and I turn the tape… CREATION’S ODE is weak attempt to reach the greatness of bands like ODES OF ECSTASY with their extremely irritating, boring mixture of doom, death and dark wave with crappy vocals. HEAVEN GREY from Latvia are good. Melodious, doomy, gothic metal at it’s best, although “Dreams” is as well not their best song. STONEHENGE are good also. Folk-spiced, melodic doom / death from Russian lands… The remaining bands are DELUSIVE MASQUE and CUMDEO. The latter one is great; their style is somewhat similar to S.C.A.L.P. and STONEHENGE, although a bit heavier. Rather anonymous but still undoubtedly exciting. As to that “Delusive smthng”, I just don’t remember… Sorry.
(review by Herr Stalhammar)

ON THE BRINK OF INFINITY
“A Compilation Of Death And Rebirth”
Chthonic Streams
rating: 5, 5 of 6
Ooh… I believe, it’s the best compilation I have ever received, at least when it comes to so-called ambient and dark industrial music. ON THE BRINK OF INFINITY features twelve tracks from twelve bands, and most of them strike as undoubtedly outstanding ones. Here’s the list of bands: Howden / Wakeford (both of SOL INVICTUS), EMPYRIUM, ARCANE ART (side project of PENITENT, featuring Lord Vendictus), ANIMA IN FIAMME (ARGINE side project), FUNERARY CALL, NOTHUS FILIUS MORTIS, KEROVNIAN, GRUNTSPLATTER, 15 DELIGHTS OF DEONYSIUS (THE SOIL BLEEDS BLACK side project), 4TH SIGN OF THE APOCALYPSE, DREAM INTO DUST and BACKWORLD. I would lie saying that I went mad on all of these acts, however there’re some of them that I definitely would like to get in contact in order to set up the interview… such as Italy’s ANIMA IN FIAMME, whose “Come Fiore Reciso”, featuring violin (most heartrending instrument men ever created, don’t you think?), cello and piano, appears as pure perfection, even though mankind have never managed to create anything perfect. I guess, if you’ve read through the reviews in this and past issues, you’re already familiar with EMPYRIUM and DREAM INTO DUST. ARCANE ART, yet one more project by Mr. Norse Genius, a.k.a. Karsten Hamre, sounds rather exciting. It’s ambient as well, quite similar to “As Life Fades Away” by PENITENT, though still highly intriguing. Some bands make emphasis on darker sides of our existence, like FUNERARY CALL, KEROVNIAN and GRUNSPLATTER, while 15 DELIGHTS OF DIONYSIUS appears as some kind of a cross between grim, inhuman, ravaging sounds and the natural beauty. The light and darkness mixed into One. I hope I’ve already made you interested in listening to this magnificent compilation, though the review doesn’t end here, since I have to add few lines. Firstly, this CD was released in the shape of cardboard digipack, so it should grab your attention once you see it. Furthermore, it’s limited to 1000 copies, so hurry! And secondly, all the tracks featured here are unreleased. A MUST. (Herr Stalhammar)