Label: Askio Productions
Date: September 3rd, 2021
Believe it or not, among all the “infernals” and “storms” I was unable to find another Infernal Storm out there. Simple (bordering on cliché) yet unique name apparently. Let’s see if I can remember it for future purposes. Because this is a new entity on the scene. On the Greek scene, nonetheless. Greek black metal scene, to be exact. And I’m sure I’m not the only one getting my hopes up anytime I see an appearance like this one.
Unfortunately, this short recording doesn’t do them justice. Not the band or the ancestry on whose mighty shoulders they ought to stand. Simply put, “On Thorns ov Hell” feels terribly unfinished. In technical terms, this is basically a single, though it officially holds three tracks. The first one being an introduction and the last one, an instrumental. Even the middle one, the title track, sounds like it should have been further developed and properly built upon the existing foundation stone.
I’ll take it song by song this time.
“Last Moment” is an introduction, as I mentioned above. An ambient track to invoke the inferno that is about to come. A fitting start to a release, though nothing outstanding or never heard before. But it’s an introduction, so nobody ever expects a further impact than simple preparation for what’s actually going to count.
The title track starts with some typically Greek acoustic guitar lasting a full minute. Perhaps a bit too much considering we’ve already heard the intro. Even more so if you consider that the track is three and a half minutes long. But that would be just fine if the rest had a proper impact the release was building towards. Then you get about a minute of neatly crafted Greek black metal, in the best tradition of Rotting Christ. Undoubtedly the best part of the song and the EP altogether. Real good stuff. Once the minute has passed, Infernal Storm leads us into a Norwegian black metal blitzkrieg for almost half a minute only to return to the same Rotting Christ piece already heard, which ends the song.
While you’re still pondering on what happened there and whether you’ve been dealt some “radio edit” version of the song, you’ve got “Threnos” on your hands. An instrumental song that wanders somewhere between the ancient Greek black metal and melodic approach of Dissection. With added touch of cosmic keyboards filling it up nicely. Once again, Infernal Storm lays a good foundation, proving they have enough, and very good ideas, but lacking the ability to properly formulate them. At least at this very moment.
A bittersweet feeling is left after the audition of “On Thorns ov Hell”. On the one hand, it is displaying a proper understanding of the genre and the home-based legacy, coupled with decent imaginative force to create very good parts. On the other hand, the band portrayed a serious lack of experience (I hope it is that) when it comes to finishing off a composition.
That’s exactly why I hope to remember this name for future purposes. There has to be much more than this. And should Infernal Storm get through this rough infancy, there is a stellar childhood ahead. By the time they reach puberty they could become alpha and omega of the Greek black metal.
