GEIST OF OUACHITA/ETERNAL TOMB – Black Feudal Savagery

My brother recently made me aware of this killer split EP by the two US black metal hordes known as Geist of Ouachita and Eternal Tomb with each act contributing three tracks to this slice of unholy filth, and I am forever grateful to him for turning me on to this stuff.  

There is a proper nocturnal and somber atmosphere to the six compositions that are on display here, and I must say that I dig the fog-shrouded quality of these harsh and robust pieces. Neither of the two outfits bring anything new or innovative to the table as such, and this is very much rooted in some of the more traditional sounds that one associates with early Norwegian and US black metal, but that thick, almost impenetrable aura of howling pain and yearning that courses through the EP is something else entirely and akin to a dark enclosed space that one cannot escape. This is a good thing in case you were wondering. The tremolo-picked riffs and despairing vocals complement each other superbly and there is a great flow and cohesion to the songs – especially in the case of ‘Visions of Vitriolic Hate’ by Geist of Ouachita and the endlessly melancholic ‘Triumph at the Gates’ by Eternal Tomb. Actually, there are aspects of the latter’s material that remind me ever so slightly of the mighty Forgotten Woods.

At 32 minutes long this excellent output can hardly be said to outstay its welcome, and this is a wicked find if you are on the lookout for a raw, passionate black metal soundtrack to your solitary winter walks. The cassette tape is out now along with the digital release, but the vinyl and CD versions will be unleashed later on this year.