Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Old Man's Child - Vermin - 2005 - Century Media

Track Listing1. Enslaved And Condemned 2. Plague Of Sorrow, The 3. War Of Fidelity 4. In Torment's Orbit 5. Lord Of Command (Bringer Of Hate) 6. Flames Of Deceit, The 7. Black Marvels Of Death 8. Twilight Damnation 9. As Evil Descends

I've been listening to a lot of Norwegian black metal bands lately, just finishing a much needed review for Enslaved's "Ruun" album. Now I'm on to Old Man's Child, a popular group that has surfaced on the black metal scene with classics like "Born Of The Flickering" and "In Defiance Of Existence". The band has been plagued with a revolving door syndrome through their career, seeing some of metal's most talented musicians rotate in and out of the band. Musicians like Gene Hoglan (Death), Nicholas Barker (Cradle Of Filth), and even Dimmu Borgir formers like Brynjard Tristan and Tjodalv.

With the band's new album "Vermin" we see Old Man's Child again with a new line-up, this one pretty simple to describe. On vocals and other primitive instruments is Galder and on drums is Reno Killerich, formerly of Dimmu Borgir, Vile, and Exmortem. Galder hit Studio Fredman (Opeth, Dark Tranquillity) again to record "Vermin", offering another hate-filled scream of a record backed by Killerich's intense drum patterns.

Being the band's seventh album to date one pretty much knows what to expect here. Galder is again completely over the top sinister, scorching intense cuts like "War Of Fidelity" and "Enslaved And Condemned". The band incorporates some really obscure dark melody into the record, even getting Testament/Dragonlord axeman Eric Peterson to step in and lay down some riffage for "In Torment's Orbit". This album keeps Old Man's Child in the spotlight for modern black metal, probably keeping their faces in from of the mainstream public as much as Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir. A great record from a band that keeps refining their sound.



--1Evil1 8.11.07