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Armatus / Eris – From Hatefull Darkness1. Armatus-Silovana i Razapeta Label: Grim Reaper Records
Date: February 14, 2019
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A couple of remarks at the very beginning. Firstly, there is almost nothing new on this split release. All the songs have been previously released. Some of them more than once. Still, all of these releases have been strictly limited to small quantities, so I guess there is still the need for them. Second note would be that this is a split release between a Croatian and a Serbian band, and don’t even get me started on why is that important. On a more personal note, I hate reviewing releases from “bandcamp”. At least give me a download code. Some more info on the release page would also help. Luckily, the label promised to give me the physical copy, so here’s the review.
Armatus is a Croatian duo with 6 years of experience. They have been pretty busy during those years, with 2 full length albums and a bunch of shorter releases. Productive, to say the least. However, they thrive in simplicity, so it mustn’t be so hard. Armatus performs the oldest of Black Metal schools. You know, the Thrash infused sound created by Venom and the likes. There is little else to say. Their music isn’t supposed to be original, complex or overly technical. Simple, catchy riffs thrown over the basic rhythm section and empowered by the fine screaming vocals. I can’t say anybody will be too impressed by their creations, but the old school maniacs will surely feel the nostalgic tingling. Almost 10 minutes for intense headbanging.
Eris is a much older band from Serbia. They are threading their second decade of existence, and there are two demos and a lot of split releases in their discography. Eris started out as a raw, primitive Black Metal project, however, they did evolve a bit over the course of the long years. Still, as soon as they proclaimed their potential with a bit more creativity in the composing department, they stopped producing new songs. The tracks presented here show exactly what I’m talking about. They are coming from different releases and have not been re-recorded, so the production is “all over the place”. It is the highest time for some new songs, so we can finally see if they will live up to the potential they displayed on their last works.
This split is hardly any of those “buy or die” releases. The truth is that probably only the “die hard” fans of the genre will get it and enjoy. Luckily, Grim Reaper Records’ releases are always limited, so I’m sure it will also sell out quite fast. Hurry up if you think you’re up for something like this.
