Fucking Gorgoroth, man!
After coming back from the dead, Demon Scourge and myself overdosed on power metal, in a drunken attempt to regain our heroic mojo. After a while, we got bored, and I said, "Fuck that shit! I wanna hear something evil!" So we chose the most evil band we could think of ...... true cvlt Norwegian black metal innovators Gorgoroth.
Notorious in the past few years for the soap opera antics of the Gaalh vs. Infernus name name dispute, after the dust settled, only original founder Infernus remained at the helm. Despite the fine albums Gorgoroth has released in the 00's, the foundation of the band's legacy remains in their first three albums; three slices of ice cold true cvlt Norwegian black metal. That's what we listened to while Satan chortled greedily in anticipation of our charred and blackened immortal souls.
I opened my eyes as if after a long slumber, but I knew I had
not been sleeping. Sound and light burst
upon me in an intense crashing of sensations. The physical and spiritual pain
of being stuffed back into a body is excruciating but fortunately, only lasts a
few moments. Everywhere around me I heard the sounds of blasting heavy metal. I
had finally been called home. A glance at my surroundings revealed that I,
along with Bloodmace, Hellmaster, Master Raknar, and Lady DeathCrush were at
the bottom of a rocky pit. The music floated down from above us, guiding the
spirits of each warrior into its temporal shell. For a few moments there was
nothing but silence as we stared at one another in disbelief, but each battle
blasted soul knew what we had been called to do. Bloodmace brandishes his
weapon as he spits his words at me “So, not even death can stop our battle!
Prepare to die fool!” his deadly club swishes past my head. I grasp my sword
and prepare to retaliate but the battle is once again interrupted, this time by
a shout from the intrepid Master Raknar “Oh shit, get ready people, the
Gatemaster is fucking Here!”
First, we heard Gorgoroth's 1994 debut, Pentagram. This is a goddamn fucking righteous slab of black metal, a masterful opening statement. Highly recognized as one of black metal's greatest albums, this album does not disappoint. There are layered sheets of white noise, frenzied tremolo guitar work, and a variety of tempos with an emphasis on fucking fast fucking fuck. Not a lot of experimentation or overt weirdness in the songcraft; this is more of a refinement, an exploration of the essence of black metal. One of the traits that the band has kept throughout the years is the sense of mystique. It started here. There is a special vibe to these songs, a blood curdling one. This is the music of villains and monsters. Winner, in my book.
Saga of the Gatemaster part 13.2 - Anarchy Divine
Our feud forgotten for the moment, Bloodmace and I turn in
the direction of Raknar’s gaze. From the
precipice above, the hideous stone head of the dreaded guardian of the outer
dimensions appears. Its beak-like mouth juts fourth from the sleek head, its
crystal eyes gleaming from either side. It hops down from the tall sides of the crater
where we are trapped, its powerful legs propelling it down the steep wall.
Twice as tall as any of us and formed of rock, it stood upright and lashed out
at us with its two sets of small arms and razor sharp beak. Lady DeathCrush
waves her hands and with a loud crack, the thing falls for a moment. Bloodmace
rushes it from behind and smashes his signature weapon into the massive
backbone of the enforcer of temporal boundaries. Enraged, the Gatemaster
slashes at Bloodmace with granite claws. I also jump into the fray, deflecting
a blow from our unhallowed foe. There seems to be no way to kill this monster.
Hellmaster pushes me out of the way as the dimensional defender smashes
place where I stood with an impossibly heavy tail that splits the ground near
where we stand. Just as we were about to be sent back to the realm of chaos and
dreams, the sound of the old hymn “Unstoppable Force” can be heard echoing down the walls that
imprison us. There is life above. Whoever called us, for good or evil ends, was
about to show themselves. 
The next album, Antichrist, is somewhat less successful, but still expands on the basic evil premise, The sheets of white noise are toned down for a slightly thicker mid level tone. The balls out viciousness that was so endearing about the first album is toned down somewhat, though the sound and song craft have opened up. Best tunes are the title track and the epic closer, Sorg, a slow paced, epic viking metal track, not unlike what Enslaved were doing at the time. Clean vocals, and some tripped out guitar work make this the most memorable song. Demon Scourge and guest were all about this one. Me not so much. I still think this a fucking brilliant album, though.
The real deal!
The sorry ass 2011 re-recording.........
Words of the Elders
The stars wheel above us, circling endlessly as they mock our
mortal triumphs and travails. There in the inky darkness they dance their
ballet of days and wind down into nothingness, mirroring our own spiral into
death and yet the flame of hope still burns. Deep inside their movements patterns
are nested inside one another, working like gears, but all are driven by the
same engine. In survival, there is no death. In death there is no rest. The
titans of Centon have returned into the bodies that have been conjured by
Vorthon, Hell Wraith, Baron Lotar and Lady Steel but following them is the
dreaded Gatemaster, guardian of twilight whose job is to capture or destroy
beings crossing the threshold into the nether regions. Let us raise our voices in song that these guardians
of light may save their world of Centon, for it is a most important cog in the
working of “reality” on this plane and the ordering of the multiverse in
general. Let us sing to the eldest trees and dance with the mother wolf in the
sacred grove! Let us raise our swords in
defiance of the posers who crowd the once great Jenkabala that all may know
that Bloodmace and Demon Scourge have come to claim their due!
Until next week, mosh maniacs
Horns
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