Ezurate - Eve Of Desecration

Ezurate formed in 1994 as a grim black metal band, and since then have evolved with their lyrical abilities. Creating epic stories of apocalypses, demons, and angels, Ezurate have been able to dodge the bullet of being called 'nonsense' noise with a black metal formula. Their latest album features a story about the frozen north, involving spirits and lycanthropy, so anyone who is a fan of fantasy themes or horror themes will really enjoy it. It also pays tribute to the black metal album ideology of old with bands such as Ulver, Limbonic Art, and Darkthrone.

As one listens throughout 'Eve Of Desecration,' they will notice the lo-fi style of the music: cold and grim. The guitars have that audible buzz to them along with the blastbeat drums. All that's missing is some keyboards to make the music REALLY epic. The vocals are a hit or miss... they have that early screech to them that made 90s black metal so terrifying, and yet present black metal somewhat laughable because it sounds like a sixteen year old trying to do it. However, the story is what really matters, and Ezurate continue to make the story insteresting thoughout, if not the music. Many of the tracks all sound the same with little to discern in between, so it feels like a whole one-big-flowing-album. Fans can take this is a good or bad thing because if they like this style of black metal- grim and cold- then prepare for a lot of it. The only real 'breaks' in the album are the short instrumentals "Blackthorns and Crimson Blood" and "Came An Autumn Wind." Both are rapdily different from Ezurate's usual style and offer glimpses of possible evolution, especially when it comes to the soft piano sound which is significantly clearer than the chaotic pit of madness that is the drums, guitars, and vocals all meshed up into one package.

For those who are fans of black metal such as early Emperor, Setherial or Immortal will find the blazing guitars and nonstop drum beatings that sound almost like they are being played at inhuman speeds quite a treat. Even the solos are varied and invigorating without sounding worn out and in the same place all the time. While the production could use a touch up so everything could be heard a bit more clearly, this is some fine black metal with an atypical story to boot. One won't find any silly references to Satan here, though there certainly is a lot of corpsepaint to go around...

  1. Rise Of The Immortals
  2. Invocation Of The Seven Gates
  3. Noctern Eternus
  4. Destroying Divinity
  5. For I Am Thee Almighty
  6. Overthrown Deity
  7. Creed Of The False Prophet
  8. Blackthorns And Crimson Blood
  9. Thy Infernal Entity
  10. Salvation Denied
  11. Into The Fathomless Depths
  12. The Black Cross Of Berziers
  13. Jehovah Bleed
  14. Metamorphosis Of A Lycan
  15. Came An Autumn Wind

Rotting Corpse Records
Reviewer: Colin McNamara
Oct 31, 2010

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