CoC : Marduk - Heaven Shall Burn When We Are Gathered : Review

Marduk - _Heaven Shall Burn When We Are Gathered_
(Osmose, 1996)
by: Henry Akeley (9 out of 10)

Ten seconds or so into this CD's amazing opening track, any doubts that Marduk is one of the most intense bands on this planet should be vaporized for good. "Beyond the Grace of God" is a totally rabid, yet streamlined hybrid of haunting black metal riffs, extremely anguished vocals, and blasting percussion - and it showcases some pretty wild melodic bass lines to boot. "Beyond..." more or less sets the tone for the rest of this incredibly relentless album, during which the band goes on to wring some surprising sonic variety out of the standard (no keyboards) formula for way-fast black metal. "Glorification of the Black God" borrows from the classical barnstormer _Night on Bald Mountain_ (you've heard it), while "The Black Tormentor of Satan" welds some memorable riffing to ringing sonic sheets of heavily distorted guitar. Things slow down for the ultra-grim "Dracul..." - but only momentarily, since "Legion" follows, and closes the album out at a level of breakneck speed and severe intensity which is downright scary. (Dig the vocal effects on this track!) Enhanced by solid production and a clean, clear mix, _Heaven Shall Burn..._ is an unrelenting and uncompromising slab of spitting, sped-up rage - definitely Marduk's best work yet, and easily one of the most extreme black metal releases ever.

(article published 11/10/1996)

CHATS
11/4/2009	J Smit	Marduk: Unholy Blasphemies
1/31/2008	J Smit	Marduk: Echoes of Decimation
6/10/2007	J Smit	Marduk: Hosannas From the Basement of Hell
11/29/2004	J Smit	Marduk: The Plague Rages On
3/14/1999	D Rocher	Marduk: Far Beyond the Grace of God

ALBUMS
7/1/2012	J Carbon	7.5	Marduk - Serpent Sermon
6/26/2011	J Carbon	6.5	Marduk - Iron Dawn
10/24/2009	J Ulrey	8.5	Marduk - Wormwood
5/1/2007	J Smit	9.5	Marduk - Rom 5:12
11/29/2004	J Smit	8.5	Marduk - Plague Angel
5/13/2001	M Noll	8	Marduk - La Grande Danse Macabre
8/12/1999	D Rocher	9	Marduk - Panzer Division Marduk
4/13/1998	S Hoeltzel	7.5	Marduk - Nightwing
8/12/1997	S Hoeltzel	8	Marduk - Live in Germania
10/11/1996	S Hoeltzel	8	Marduk - Glorification

GIGS
12/2/2007	J Smit	Marduk / Vreid	A Doomsday Celebration
5/13/2001	M Noll	Marduk / Mortician / Vader / God Dethroned / Amon Amarth / Mystic Circle / Sinister / ...And Oceans / Bal Sagoth	Baptized by Fire and Beer
8/12/2000	M Noll	Deicide / Immortal / Cannibal Corpse / Marduk / Vader / Dark Funeral / Hate Eternal / Vomitory	There's No Mercy in Satan's Oven
1/15/2000	P Azevedo	Marduk / Angelcorpse / Enthroned	Night of the Living Corpses
1/15/2000	M Noll	Cannibal Corpse / Marduk / Angelcorpse / Aeternus / Defleshed	Two Corpses, One God and No Flesh