NETHERMOST CAVERNS – Ancient Spells within a Stalagnate Crypt

This ceaselessly grim and melancholy eight-track offering by the US black metal horde known as Nethermost Caverns is one that I have been looking forward to ever since they released the Shadows of Seclusion demo a few months ago.

Ancient Spells within a Stalagnate Crypt is an unpolished and raw-sounding slab of wicked underground metal drenched in a thick, impenetrable atmosphere that I can only describe as otherworldly and strangely archaic, which is consistently underlined and emphasized throughout by the torrent of harsh riffs that is served up, the demonic howls of anguish capable of melting your face, and the melodically strong basslines that lock in perfectly with the creative drumming and add a certain finesse to the cursed opus. With a good flow and a persistent drive to them, these mournful and brooding compositions succeed in evoking a bleak and compelling aura inhabiting the elemental spirit and vigor of early-to-mid 90s black metal, and the intense riffing in ‘Black Wings of the Void’ and ‘Denied Existence’ make these fierce cuts the standout moments. Fans of black metal ought to make a note of this killer release, which looks great on CD, I might add.