90. Spectral Wound - "Songs of Blood and Mire"

Our first slice of Black Metal. Now I will be using a lot of words like transcendental and atmospheric and progressive to describe the black metal albums coming. Not this, this is extreme face-ripping jagged edge black metal that is harsh as hell. It just accelerates from track one in a billowing cloud of frenzied antagonistic hatred. The guitars are down-tuned and it feels like a veritable love letter to the raw fringes of the fabled Nordic second wave. It is contoured with evil but does so with a level of stripped back simplicity. The sound is not packed and instead the shrill guitars and screamed vocals have space to breathe. A stunningly good example of potent powerful full pelt Black Metal.