CoC : Ragnarok - Arising Realm : Review

Ragnarok - _Arising Realm_
(Head Not Found, 1997)
by: Andrew Lewandowski (7 out of 10)

Once you slash through the dense forest of static which immures the melodies emitted from Ragnarok's second album on Head Not Found, a sense of sanguinity is exposed. While Ragnarok is certainly no group of Christians or ebullient pseudo-decadents [see Thelema review], the decrepit production and vocalist's virulent virtuosity only belie a surprisingly peaceful, almost transcendental (in a new age - almost Enigma-tic - manner), vim. While this frivolous adoration of all creatures big and small is admittedly the product of slight hyperbole on my part, I can't help but feeling that Ragnarok have installed morose superfluities in order to veil an insinuated nature which is diametrically opposed to all that black metal stands for... As for the music's quality, the first three tracks (once you skip the mandatory intro, of course) are all decent, yet the searing repetition of tracks such as "My Refuge In Darkness" will inevitably fail whenever the melodies lack the necessary amount of execration of all humanity. Even so, _Arising Realm_ should entertain fans of Darkthrone, circa _A Blaze In the Northern Sky_, who have "matured" into pacified human beings yet still crave a semblance of perdition and raw violence in their music and are frightened by music of great originality.

(article published 1/1/1998)

GIGS
31/10/2004	J Smit	Krisiun / Behemoth / Incantation / Ragnarok	A Beauteous Riot