Cold Northern Vengeance: Domination and Servitude


One of the best things about being a writer, besides getting loads of promos directly in your mail box, is having the chance to listen and discover new and very talented bands. Out of nowhere comes this refreshing release from an American band that goes by the name of Cold Northern Vengeance.

This duo comprises Heathen (guitars, vocals, bass and keyboards) and Gemini (lead guitar, bass, Hammond Organ, piano and drums). Signed to Bindrune Recordings, where nothing is like everywhere else, Cold Northern Vengeance is much different from what you could have already heard from the US Black Metal scene. Don't expect anything like Azrael or Xasthur. Domination and Servitude makes references to Satanism in more than one instance, either from the cover, and overall artwork, or within the lyrics. Those are expressed by raspy growls, rough/clean voices, narration and the likes. The music to be heard on this disc is quite varied; something I personally really appreciate. As a whole, I could say that this release tends toward the Avant-gardist side of Black Metal, with a nice progressive edge. What surprised me though, in a good way, was the fact that Heathen and Gemini managed to add a folksy touch on top of it all, by including acoustic guitars. Two of my favorite compositions have this instrument: "The Shore of New England" and "Heathen, Heretic, Scapegoat". The intro, "Gnosis", is more of a ritual, with wicked narrative vocals. A catchier and chaotic "A Dangerous Wayfaring", follows right after. Track #3, "Hidden 93", has nice crushing guitars, haunted leads, a faster pace and we can hear wolves howling. Then comes "The Path to Chaos", a more experimental tune. I could go on and on, but by now you get the picture on how varied, and entertaining, this album is.

Domination and Servitude easily found its place in my "Best of 2008" list.


Track listing:
1 - Gnosis(intro)
2 - A Dangerous Wayfaring
3 - Hidden 93
4 - The By-Paths to Chaos
5 - A Past Forgotten
6 - The Abraxas Trance
7 - The Shores of New England
8 - Heathen, Heretic, Scapegoat
9 - The Black Silence
10 - Communion

Added: January 8th 2009
Reviewer: Denis Brunelle
Score:
Related Link: More Information
Hits: 76
Language: english



Aquarius Records Review


Although, from their not particularly atypical name and logo, you might expect just another business-as-usual Nordic black metal horde, corpsepainted and kvlt-y, this is NOT just another BM (or, USBM in their case as they hail from New Hampshire) band. Nosirree. We figured that out right away, when the vocals started up on "A Dangerous Wayfaring" and weren't a grim rasp, but rather a faux-British accented chorus. The more usual sort of guttural gruffness also soon appears, but CNV had piqued our interest, and we kept listening with curious anticipation that was quickly rewarded by this album's unexpected and unusual blend of underground black metal, goth rock, and industrial. Actually CNV also had our attention 'cause this comes from the same label, Bindrune, who last brought us Blood Of The Black Owl's A Feral Spirit, another unique and experimental metal offering.
This isn't quite as weird as that record, but this eclectic effort certainly captivates chaotically with majestically catchy riffage, Gobliny soundtrack synths, clean vocal singalongs, and even all-acoustic mellow moodiness ("The Shores Of New England"). Our favorite element though is what might be termed their Satanic industrial sound, with sampling and sequencing, the best example of which is "The By-Paths To Chaos", a rhythmic exercise in sinister, cut-and-paste percussive clockwork. Very cool. Hail Cold Northern Vengeance!!

Aya! New material being recorded soon for upcoming split with a European band tba soon... It will continue on in the vein of a bad acid trip with new and re recorded tracks:

SHIVADARSHANA

DEMONIC ENTRAPMENT

BLACK METAL ISOLATION

PAN-THE RETURN

Fucking awesome...

"We stood before it and began to freeze inside from the exertion. We questioned the painting, berated it, made love to it, prayed to it: We called it mother, called it whore and slut, called it our beloved, called it Abraxas...."

New shirts designs coming!!! THE ABRAXAS TRANCE

good news

Gothic! is that black metal?

Some Goth rock is good like Bauhas, Sisters of Mercy, Diamanda Galas, The Cure, Joy Division, Fields of Nephilim

Review from Sleazegrinder

I love the fact that this band is from New Hampshire, Boston's redneck cousin. You know, just yesterday, they had a 50 car pile-up on the highway up there, caused by a busload of boy scouts. Where's Bruce Willis when you need him? Anyway, this is the work of two dudes - Heathen and Gemini - from up yonder. It's ostensibly raw American black metal, but it's also got elements of vampy goth, early 80's underground metal, Type O Negative, and bummer-psyche, a mish-mash of odd elements tossed together in a razor-strewn schizo salad that also incorporates the odd sample and eerie sound effect to keep the weirdness flowing freely. Despite their best efforts to present an icy, disaffected atmosphere that should only appeal to hardcore Kult-ists, Domination and Servitude is actually very listenable, a consistently entertaining spookshow with a seemingly bottomless well of kitchen sink sounds. Who the fuck knows what any of it means, but if you're a fan of esoteric heavy music, than look to these snowy maniacs up north, for they are capable of strange and wondrous musicks.

-Sleaze

Review from Arghs

These guys are a bunch of fags.

-Arghs