Wound upon Wound  mp3
Carving a Giant
God Seed (Twilight of the Idols)  mp3
Sign of an Open Eye
White seed
Exit
Untamed Forces
Prosperity and Beauty

Gaahl - Vocals
Infernus - Guitars
King - Bass
Frost - Drums (session)

Produced by Gorgoroth.
Mixed by Gorgoroth and Herbrand Larsen in Bergen and mastered by Infernus and Thomas Eberger in Cutting Room, Stockholm, April 2006. Drums recorded in Lydriket Studio, Bergen, January 2005. Engineer: Geir Luedy. Guitars and bass recorded in Steel.

distributed in Switzerland by  

review by Artur Felicijan____                 

We are living in an aeon of disrespect. We live in a time of identities forgotten, of  effigies and ambitions lost. We have sailed into the seas of unrestrained preferences, and our ships should have been engulfed.

What my point is, that we are drowning in the flood of choices, which consent to give people the option to do about music whatever they want to, while neglecting the main fundaments that hold the world of art unfaltering. Originality, Sincereness, Determination, Talent. These are the fundaments that fasten the sanctum of art into one distinctive standing: Quality! 

And it was about f***ing time to hear the genuine art tear and kill the unworthy "artistic" specimens of modern time! Art rightfully destroys! "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" is victory above fraudulence. A forthright expression to the uttermost amount.

Pure Black Metal wrath is unleashed by "Wound upon Wound" with Frost's sonic-speed drumming and Gaahl's relentless fire-spitting vociferation. After this blast, and while still gaining consciousness, I got aware of being privileged by hearing a tune so truthfully composed, hearing the art of Black Metal that I thought was lost. The whole album continues in the same baleful spirit of bona fide brilliance, driven by indomitable aggression and strength, while the "Sign of an open Eye" is resonant by a more evident feeling of melancholy. Rhythmically challenging parts, advanced song-writting and exceptional performance confirms the utter maturity of Gorgoroth. Not disregarding their previous releases, but "Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" is an incredible progression while still maintaining the prime essence of True Black Metal. All the songs are very well written, 

dynamic, full of spirit and grim atmosphere. It is just as if this album would have been taken out of the best years of the genre and then have it enhanced by the strength of the modern sound. Still and all, this is completely old-school sounding Black Metal with raw guitars, natural drums, and distorted vocals, while the production is being at a much higher level than the old releases. Which makes the album sound as it should at it's core, yet with a greater force and depth.

"Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam" is very aggressive, very true, very cruel and raw, and very, very, very good. Honestly, the best album Gorgoroth ever made! Best Black Metal release in years!

rating: 10/10  

Favorite songs: Wound upon Wound

Artur Felicijan     29.06.2006  

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