MNHG – Mundare

The ugly German black ‘n’ roll entity that is MNHG recently spat forth this straightforward, catchy, and utterly vile forty-minute opus via Immortal Frost Productions and if you dig bands such as Bestial Mockery, Nifelheim, Satan Worship, Aura Noir, ancient Bathory, and old Sodom, this one is for you. Raw and rumbling yet not without a few cool twists and a bit of finesse now and again, these guys have delivered a musically cohesive slab of ferocious and unpolished black metal with prominent traces of rotten thrash metal to it.

Actually, I could also see these twelve compositions appealing to fans of Darkthrone’s "Arctic Thunder" and Sarcofago’s "I.N.R.I". A decent amount of brooding and moody passages creep into the music from time to time and add a sinister and horror-filled aura to the material, which is nicely illustrated by the opening riffs to "Reborn in Suffering" and the final bars of "Transition". They also vary the pace and so despite the relatively simple nature of the tunes, they never turn stale or boring. In addition, the cursed thing lacks neither energy nor drive, and it does possess a rather solid groove to these ears.   

In short, "Mundare" is effective and entertaining without necessarily being wildly impressive or all-out remarkable. It is worth checking out if you find yourself in dire need of a new headbanging treat from the thrashing underground, and although it may not set the black metal scene afire, it certainly comes across as a genuine and authentic-sounding affair with an organic and lively feel to it. On top of that, the album artwork is exceptionally wicked, and the booklet truly captures the essence of the music and lyrics.