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Surprising third album from Ereb Altor, who started out with the mellow, melodic Doom of By Honour, and now have made almost a full-on Black Metal album. If their debut sounded a bit too much like Isole, then this sounds absolutely nothing like anything Isole have ever done. This album is blackened Doom very much in the vein of Bathory or classic-era Borknagar. Viking Metal right down to the bone, with big riffs, blasting drums, and harsh vocals almost exclusively. If you are expecting Daniel Bryntse's smooth vocals, then you will be disappointed, because you will not hear them here. This is a big album, and some of the songs take too long to develop and go on a bit, but the work has a definite feel and atmosphere, plus the riffs are just too good to overlook. If you go into this expecting something different, then you may be put off, but if you take this for what it is, Gastrike is a powerful and evocative album.