Countess - Spawn of Steel

Rating: 8.6

Country: Netherlands

Release Date: 2005

Track list:
1. The Call Of Steel
2. Trumpets Of Dawn
3. Sword And Sceptre
4. Torch The House Of God
5. Alone Against The World [MP3]
6. Thermopylae [MP3]
7. The Metal Creed
8. Rise Of The Warrior King
9. Ghosts Of Leather
10. Knights Of Baphomet
11. The Seal Of Wrath
12. March Of The Ten Thousand
13. The Veils of Negative Existence (Manilla Road cover)

Total playing time: 69:18

Band Website: Countess

Countess - Spawn of Steel

Orlok - all

Here's a controversial statement for you: Black metal is fucking dead. If you weren't at the memorial service, the signs of decay are evident all around you- the ludicrous e-bay auctions, the hordes of avaricious labels and bands eager to saturate the market with subpar product, manipulating ideology for monetary gain, the legions of bands that thrive exclusively on message board hype, the scenester behavior of pimply-faced children leading lives on mIRC. Pass my statement as frivolous, misguided opinion if you will, I could care less if you wish to take the theater of black metal as seriously as you do. Yet, for all my jaded cynicism, I cannot help but revere the handful of ancient cults that still distil the unmistakable quintessence of PURE FUKKING BLACK METAL, arousing an impetuous excitement that I had all but abandoned years ago. Of all these glorious outfits, the mighty Countess of Holland has probably been the most unerringly brilliant of the lot, erecting a formidable legacy of unwaveringly dedicated “orthodox black metal” that has withstood the farce of today's scene to forge a path of uniquely abhorrent, despondent hellishness.

Of course, many fellow Countess enthusiasts have expressed a great deal of ambivalence towards their Barbarian Wrath output, mastermind Orlok taking a decidedly different approach on Barbarian Wrath debut 'The Shining Swords Of Hate' and the two part 'Revenge Of The Horned One' saga that threatened to alienate all but the most fervent Countess enthusiasts. The musical direction showcased on said releases was a far cry from the unrelenting, fiercely atavistic ye eerily musical material displayed on the pugilistic Nazgul's Eyrie releases, embedding Orlok's distinctively demonic vocals in a sea of murky filth (with 'Shining Swords' even harking the use of a vastly different vocal style), subduing the tangential lead guitar melodies and exploring more experimental, draw-out passages. While Orlok flirted with the distinctive structures of his earlier musical produce ('ROTH part 1' being the most aligned with his prior work), he was clearly, at that point in his career, uninterested in producing anything that was identifiably old Countess, inciting a barrage of inflammatory criticism from a host of fans. Of course, the BRILLIANT Heilig Vuur of 2003 marked a sublime return to paths well trodden by Orlok, fusing early Countess structures and artistic ethics with a developing technical virtuosity and a clearer production job, a breathtaking reinterpretation of old ideas, cohered through Orlok's growing prowess as a musician.

What 'Spawn Of Steel' is, then, is UNDOUBTEDLY the most musically accomplished work of Orlok's storied career. It is clear that, over the years, Orlok has continually refined his misanthropic synthesis of 'The Return' era Bathory, Hellhammer (simplistic, repetitious, sometimes doomy riffs and FILTHY guitar tone), Manowar (rousing, epic feel) and 'Blood Fire Death' era Bathory (folky melodies) into something that is altogether MUCH more than the sum of its parts. Unlike so many hordes who engage in mere replication of ancient formulas, Countess well and truly understand the dynamics of olden black metal, the subtleties and ornate intricacies that typified a magical era. Orlok then proceeds to distill this essence and apply it liberally to each track without resorting to emulation or plagiarism, invoking ancient demons to aid him in the creation of something far more unique than any of the retro crap you see filling store shelves!

From the first track it is clear that this is perhaps the most ‘'polished'' production Countess has offered to date, Orlok scrubbing off a bit of the impossibly murky low-end that permeated 'Shining Swords of Hate' and allowing a bit more separation between instruments. This is as close as Countess is going to get to a ‘'clean'' production, kids- while each individual instrument sounds malevolent and caked in filth, coalescing into a grimey, sinuous black mass of cruelty, there is more clarity than any other Countess record. “The Call of Steel” is more aggressive than typical Countess fare, opening with an ominous dirgey intro before assaulting the senses with apocalyptic blasts and speedy, molten riffage, all propelled by Orlok's distant, unique shrieks (some of the very best in black metal, I must say!). Cue in the mid-paced bridge with the sprawling rhythms and desolate guitar line, progressively growing more intense as the rhythms mount into a climatic call-to-arms. KLASSICK COUNTESS! “Trumpets Of Dawn” ironically bears a reference to “blood and fire and death”, an impassioned (more technical) gallop through the bloodstained halls of Bathory replete with martial rhythms and dynamic songwriting.

Further on in the record, we have the unapologetically primal “Torch The House Of God”, matching its incendiary lyrical content with piledriving, cackhanded speed and unabashedly simple riffing. The true beauty of Countess resides in the fact that Orlok's output is simultaneously primitive and sophisticated. He is not bashful of his influences, proudly referencing the same influences he has endearingly reinterpreted his whole career, yet he injects a dimension that is truly his own. While some may have labeled the Nazgul's Eyrie works as ''The Return' reincarnated in modern form, the wandering, melancholic leads on “Alone Against The World” and the grippingly HYPNOTIC drum pattern/riff interplay of “Thermopylae” are the hallmarks of a musician who has truly come into his own as one of the most unique entities in underground metal today.

Throughout the record, it is glaringly obvious that Orlok CAN PLAY HIS INSTRUMENTS, yet never indulges in making a song more complex than it should be. He knows when to play, when no to, exactly when to throw a riff change into the fray, how to build an engaging beat, how to not ruin said beat with an unnecessary fill or complication, how to employ leads tastefully without disrupting the song. The record is just FILLED with immaculate songs where thought has been carefully placed into every note and nuance. This is clearly not the Countess of yore, where one might have suggested Orlok was limited by his technical capacity- you have a distinct feeling that everything is elaborately orchestrated and executed with effortlessness here. There is no arty pretension here, no flowery detours, no ambient interludes, no white noise outros where vocalists engage in self-mutilation and ritualistic prayers, no sensationalist political statements made to sell records. Orlok just writes damn good songs, and we can all be thankful for it.

Lyrically, we encounter topics that are singularly oriented towards epic battles and struggles, Orlok adopting a narrative style that is really quite congruent with the music. Interestingly, we have tales of Assyrian wars, holy knights who chose instead to champion pleasures of the flesh, the rise of the Greek empire, as well as requisite heavy metal battle cries (“The call of steel/Heavy metal zeal/ Wolves in the night/Join the holy fight!). The lyrics are rousing and simple when they need to be, intelligently articulated and engagingly lucid in other places. Artwork is really t-shirt worthy as well, an ultra nifty warlike flag designed by the reverent Demonos Sova of the Barathrum cult.

So there you have it. Finest record of Orlok's career? In many ways, yes, this claim could very well be made. This is clearly the most musically confident and competent work in Countess' discography, and could very well silence the hordes of naysayers who have never comprehended Countess' atavistic genius. That being said, this is still a work of unapologetic evil FILTH, and Countess' legend will continue to elude and perplex much of today's clueless underground. This is a work of brutal honesty and inimitable passion, expressed in a way that can only be Countess, and if you have any kind of passing interest in genuine black metal that is every bit as relevant as the First Wave ancients (Venom, Bathory, Sarcofagó, Hellhammer, Sodom etc.), you should make this your very HIGHEST priority.

PS: Orlok covers Manilla Road's “The Veils Of Negative Existence” as a bonus. How cool is that? BUY OR FUCKING PERISH!

August 29th, 2005