I was quite fond of the Belgian horde’s “The Black Hand of the Father” EP that was released a few years ago (2017) and I am pleased to announce that this upcoming full-length disc of theirs is a most worthy follow-up and just the kind of record you underground black metal fuckbags out there need if you dig epic music with a cold and cynical vibe to it.

“For You Men Who Gaze into the Sun” boasts some fantastic melodies and is as rich in atmosphere as it is downright bleak. There is something instantly appealing about the otherworldly vibe of the record, and even though there is not a shred of originality in play here the whole thing just works. That could be because it lacks neither focus nor determination, or perhaps it is the fact that it reeks of decay and perdition in such a convincing manner? Either way, there are numerous wicked aspects that I could draw your attention to here but I think the most important thing is that these skilled musicians have retained (and also refined) their uncanny ability to evoke a crushing sense of melancholy and yearning, which is nicely illustrated by the majestic “Crown of Concrete” and the trance-inducing “Between the Beginning and the End”. Another highlight is “Through the Eyes of a Rotten Mind” where the bass lines are so prevalent that one can almost reach out and touch them and where the riffs are so goddamn intense that it hurts. Album closer “And This Day Shall Come Again” is a mesmerizing affair too. My only minor complaint is that the harsh vocals are not always sufficiently varied or as interesting and unpredictable as they could have been considering the nature of the actual music and its shift and turns and whatnot. In other words, they could have done more creative things with the vocals in places.

Immortal Frost Productions have unearthed and unleashed several quality black metal records over the years and “For You Men Who Gaze Into the Sun” is up there with some of the very best of that whole bunch. For various different reasons, Antzaat’s latest slab of pitch black symphonies works like a sick charm for me and I strongly recommend that you check this one out regardless of whether you cherish Taake or worship MGLA. Dystopian excellence!

https://digital.immortalfrostproductions.com/album/for-you-men-who-gaze-into-the-sun