Take a good, hard look at the cover photograph of The Wood is My Coffin, the latest release from the Italian one-man black metal act known as Vardan. See that snow covered road, with icy looking pine trees on either side and frost laden fog floating over the top? That's exactly the feel you get when listening to this album. The spirit of the early Norwegian black metal scene is alive and well here, as ragged guitar patterns, icy atmosphere, tortured vocal rasps, and plenty of blasting puts you right on that frosty, desolate road with nowhere to go but straight ahead into the cold, frozen unknown. "Knight of the Horned Rebirth" and "Luciferian Assault" are textured, gloomy jaunts into the haunting wilderness, while "Goatcraft" takes a more manic approach, with razor sharp tremolo riffing, blasting, and harsh, evil vocal rasps cutting through the mix. The two-part "Dawn of the Followers" is a must hear for lovers of atmospheric, depressive black metal, filled with spooky interludes, majestic power, and an undercurrent of menace.
The production values are fairly old school, so look for raw, primal sounds throughout which actually match up perfectly to this style of recording. The Wood is My Coffin probably isn't going to be of much interest to the younger fan who thinks Cradle of Filth, Satyricon, or Dimmu Borgir are pretty hip, but those who seek out the vintage sounds that permeate the black metal underground will certainly appreciate what Vardan has done here.
Track Listing
1) Night Of The Horned Rebirth
2) Luciferian Assault
3) Goatcraft
4) Dawn Of The Followers Part I
5) Dawn Of The Followers Part II
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