Liste der Bands Black Metal Gorgoroth (NOR) Pentagram

The first official release by Gorgoroth was quite good, as the musicianship and mixing were somewhat above the norm for Black Metal bands in the early-to-mid 1990’s. It had the raw, cold production that seems to be a hallmark in Black Metal, without sounding like they recorded it on a boom-box in a basement. Infernus and then-vocalist Hat handled the lyrics and songwriting for most of the album, with drummer Goatpervertor writing the lyrics to track 7; (Under) The Pagan Monolith. The bass was recorded by Samoth, from the band Emperor.

For an early release in their career, I’m struck by the quality more than anything. The mix sounds nicely balanced, even if it’s a bit thin. I really can’t find much fault in this album, save for Hat’s vocals. There is a certain aesthetic to Black Metal vocals, and Hat screeches his way thru the songs without weakening. Perhaps this is both a positive and negative, as his consistency also led to a slight bit of irritation at the lack of depth. It’s a minor, personal gripe however.

Overall, this was a strong debut, and laid the foundation for Gorgoroth, and this would be further bolstered upon the release of the second album, “Antichrist”.