Various Artists – Fenriz Presents… The Best Of Old-School Black Metal
Peaceville – 2004
By Russell Garwood
Fenriz Presents… The Best Of Old-School Black Metal is… well, Fenriz, presenting the best of old-school black metal! It is clear a lot of thought has gone into the track-list for this release, as it charts with some accuracy the roots and evolution of black metal, as well as going to show the genre’s diversity even as a nascent scene. The sixteen songs stand as follows:
1. Blasphemy - Winds Of The Black Godz
2. Sarcofago - Satanic Lust
3. Celtic Frost - Dawn Of Megiddo
4. Nattefrost - Sluts Of Hell
5. Mercyful Fate - Evil
6. Sodom - Burst Command Til War
7. Tormentor - Elisabeth Bathory
8. Aura Noir - Bloody Unit
9. Destruction - Curse Of The Gods
10. Samael - Into The Pentagram
11. Bulldozer - Whiskey Time
12. Mayhem - The Freezing Moon
13. Hellhammer - The Third Of The Storms
14. Burzum - Ea, Lord Of The Deeps
15. Venom - Warhead
16. Bathory - Dies Irae
All were chosen to represent the “true black-metal atmosphere”, and do so very effectively. While some tracks are either true thrash, or heavily influenced by the genre, all seem entirely fitting. Standouts include
Celtic Frost’s classic “Dawn Of Megiddo”, from
To Mega Therion, with its muddy guitar tone, warped leads and dirty vocals, the classic “Evil” from
Mercyful Fate’s debut
Melissa, and the more melodic “Elisabeth Bathory” from
Tormentor.
This release serves as an excellent introduction to black metal’s formative acts, and for the uninitiated is a great starting point. But even for fans of the genre, this is still an excellent compilation, with good flow, and well worth checking out…
7.5/10
Official Peaceville website
. Too bad he couldn't grab something from Possessed's "Seven Churches" or even Exorcist's "Nightmare Theater"!
