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Oh yes, black metal is truly alive and well in Ontario. One of my favourite independent bands for some time now, Feral Horde offer up their 9 track demo Progressive Downfall, a nine song underground gem that is totally on par with last year’s three-track demo that I still rave to people about.

What I like most about this album overall is the obvious professionalism of these musicians combined with a keen sense of producing a recording that sounds like a total flashback in terms of it being so damn raw and dirty. This is no redundant Norsecore or keyboard laced clean and presentable package. This is what black metal is all about, and the members of Feral Horde obviously know the genre inside and out. From the moment the standard Intro sets the darkened mood and breaks into the sounds of the guitars being picked and geared up to blast into the title track, this is one has that "kvlt" feel to it, but in a tasteful (and non-painful to listen to) way.

Unfortunately, the faint vocals that I had a gripe with the last time around are still present. At times you can tell they’re there, others it’s like hearing creepy noises in the dead of the night while you’re trying to sleep and you can’t tell if it was for real or just your imagination trying to scare you. Most of the material on the disc is instrumental anyway, at least that’s what I could hear.

But the riffs…oh the riffs. Musically, I love what these guys do with their axes. Filled with such energy, the dueling guitars blaze methodically along with twists, turns and changes that give the album an almost epic feel along the lines of the mighty Dissection.

I cannot stress just how good Feral Horde is. Second wave influenced mayhem at it’s finest!