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More Christ-raping Black Metal here from Norwegian mentalists Hinsides, a band that take the blueprint of their forefathers Burzum and Darkthrone to modern climbs, injecting some Behexen-style menace and Sargeist riff patterns into the mix. Through a distorted but somehow clean sound, Universe Aspire In Mysticism (not sure what that means, but whatever) manages to be more palatable than I think it intends. The vocals are a well-performed gargle that brings the material to life, and the guitars try some interesting ideas, though they mainly stick to the formula bestowed by the very best of the second wave. Despite the necro-blasting, Hinsides offer a fair amount of atmospheric intention to their compositions, and the intro, "Dark Matter Dawn", certainly deserves a mention for this, as it is one of the best executed examples of the form I've heard.

Black Metal aficionados will dig what Hinsides have to offer, as it is of a higher standard than usual, coming from the underground as it is, but to everyone else, this is an identikit impression of a style very much stuck on a loop.