I have no idea what a "lathspell" could possibly be, but it is unlikely to be anything positive given the blackened nature of this CD. This is their debut full-length. (They have released a previous full-length, _Fascination of Deviltry_, but it doesn't count as it was merely a compilation of their demos.)An obvious influence is Mayhem circa _De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas_, and while Lathspell are hardly the first to look to Mayhem for inspiration, they do it a manner that suggests imitation rather than inspiration. This is especially noticeable with regard to their cold, furious riffing and the occasional Attila-like moans. Actually, this is more like the rough mixes found on the _From the Dark Past_ bootleg (essentially a rough instrumental mix version of _DMDS_), especially in respect of the rumbling bass. The production is acceptable, largely avoiding the grimmer-than-necro style which seems to be too common. However, they would probably benefit from a slightly fuller guitar sound, which would amplify their Northern coldness.