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Sometimes the lesser known bands are the ones that can bring me into a genre. I can say that's the case about Black, newer Thrash, and Doom Metal. The bands in those respective genres are now more popular than they were when I was listening to them near their beginnings. But I cannot say the same about the Black Metal bands. Most of the ones I enjoy were already popular at the time of me finding them. Only time will tell if bands like Neglektum can help me expand my tastes in a genre I find to be filled with mostly repetitive and boring bands. I don't know what it is about this band, but they manage to play what I've heard before but make me enjoy it while listening.

Neglektum is not a groundbreaking band by any means; but there is something about them that makes them, I guess you could say, tolerable to me. There is nothing nasty, brutal, or inventive about this release. It is simply Progressive Black Metal, it is a slower style played with a lot of melodies. One thing that really turns me off from Black Metal is the "recorded on an answering machine" bands. Some claim it adds atmosphere, others just say it's part of the genre. Well I say it is complete garbage, nothing should actually record that bad. Neglektum have not good, but clear production with the drums and vocals high in the mix. The guitars are sort of drowned out in the background, not necessarily a bad thing as it does make the demo feel a bit darker. The vocals are a mix Black, Death, and clean style. My god are the clean vocals bad, it would make the music better if the clean style wasn't so bad.

I guess what actually makes me like this are the melodies. The mellow feeling of the riffs being played throws off a great atmosphere. I could sincerely picture myself sitting outside in the wilderness watching the snow fall as I wait for some beast to approach me for battle. That's seriously what I feel like while listening to this.

With all that said, this still wouldn't be a release I would listen to every day, it is more something I would have to be in the mood for. As I am an avid Death Metal fan and usually stay away from Black Metal, it is easier to say that this demo is one of the more accessible for me. With the clean production and the use of melodies it makes it catchy and listenable. Neglektum have stepped their foot into the right door for me as they have made Black Metal that I could say I thouroughly enjoy.