CoC : Angrenost - Evil : Review

Angrenost - _Evil_
by: Pedro Azevedo (5 out of 5)

Quality atmospheric black metal from Northern... Portugal. Could certainly have fooled me, though. This demo, pressed on CD, comes from a band that may very well soon release a debut album through Andromeda Creations, who also distributes this demo CD. Apparently inspired by the ilk of Limbonic Art's majestic symphonies and Emperor's epic masterpieces, Angrenost have created 20 minutes of eerie and very atmospheric symphonic black metal. Of course the quality can't be compared to the bands mentioned above, but this is a demo that rises far above what one would probably expect. As the booklet artwork suggests, Angrenost's approach to black metal seems to aim at the creation of cosmic soundscapes in some ways akin to Limbonic Art's, with a 'buzzing' guitar sound and occasionally dominant keyboard melodies and atmospheres. The production could certainly be better, despite the CD treatment, and I do expect to find plenty of improvement in this band's future efforts -- however, considering the limitations placed on the recording of this demo, the time elapsed since then, and the musical quality found here, this band shows rather unusual potential. I am thus definitely looking forward to hearing new material from Angrenost, especially if recorded under better conditions.

Contact: Angrenost, PO Box 598, 4900 Viana do Castelo, Portugal

(article published 7/6/1998)