• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Hostile, in-your-face, all icons-smashing Black Metal from Russia. Black Shadow, this dynamic duo featuring Lord Demogorgon and Asmodeus, released their fourth studio album, Hell's Retribution to False Prophets' Scums, originally on S.B.M. Records in 2006 and sold out relatively quickly due to the album's limited quantity. The album has now been remixed completely, getting a favorable re-release treatment on Volgograd-based More Hate Productions.

Just like any other Black Shadow release, a drum machine creates quite a furiously blasting whirlwind kind of a backbone in the band's sound, which very often reminds me of the Swedish Christ-desecraters Dark Funeral (even if not in such an efficient way). This is all Russian-sung Black Metal, but the language does not bother me a bit since many Black Metal vocalists tend to sound the same to my ears, with their shrieking and snarling vocal styles.

Hell's Retribution to False Prophets' Scums offers nothing short of a hysterical musical experience, with some occasional breakdowns of acoustic guitars that are sowed around here and there on this pretty pleasant and well-executed album. I don't wonder at all why there's so much fuss around Black Shadow, specifically on the Russian territory. This is not so great or even exceptionally good Black Metal, but still definitely pretty decent.