Maximum Metal Rating Legend
5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

Note: Reviews are graded from 0-5, anything higher or not showing is from our old style. Scores, however, do not reveal the important features. The written review that accompanies the ratings is the best source of information regarding the music on our site. Reviewing is opinionated, not a qualitative science, so scores are personal to the reviewer and could reflect anything from being technically brilliant to gloriously cheesy fun.

Demos and independent releases get some slack since the bands are often spent broke supporting themselves and trying to improve. Major releases usually have big financial backing, so they may be judged by a heavier hand. All scores can be eventually adjusted up or down by comparison of subsequent releases by the same band. We attempt to keep biases out of reviews and be advocates of the consumer without the undo influence of any band, label, management, promoter, etc.

The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Arvas/Hordagaard
Title
Dawn of Satan
Type
LP/EP
Company
Azermedoth
YOR
2008
Style
Black
10/31/2008 - Review by: Hail and Kill
The musical barbarity is executed with class
This is probably the ten millionth split release coming from Norway's faceless Black Metal horde, thereby begging the question: with so many obscure demos/albums/EP's/LP's cluttering every distro and forgotten corner of cyberspace, how can another one matter?

To their credit, the personas behind 'Dawn of Satan' have the right to consider themselves the trvest of the trve. For starters, they're from frosty Norway and in the grand tradition of Burzum, work separately on their own one-man projects. On the occasion of the rare alliance that produced this split, Vasago-Rex and Hordagaard crank the blasts and furious guitars layered with abominable vocals. In keeping with their twisted standards, the unsuspecting listener must be warned of singing on this record; it's vile, buried under cacophonous layers of static and barely discernible croaks. But the musical barbarity is executed with class, most evidently heard on the instrumental 'As I Lay Dying,' which is total unadulterated guitar worship metal, and then starts to punish your ears with 'As Sorrow as Joy.' An aural nightmare in the five songs it contains, 'By War They Came' is the sonic stampede to contrast the vampiric 'Cursed to Live.' While 'Night and Her Blood' is the pure horror preceding the frosty atmosphere of 'Oath and Awe.' Respite only comes when the somber notes of 'The Spirit Beyond' soothe the listener's frayed nerves.

A chaotic frenzy of thrashing arrangements and raw production, 'Dawn of Satan' comes from Black Metal's darkest school. These guys keep medieval weapons in their closets and hate religion 24 hours a day. It shows in their ugly music. On a closing note, this might not go head-to-head with Satyricon's new album, but hey, these guys really don't give a f***.
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    4 :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: ARVAS/HORDAGAARD
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Dawn of Satan
2008
Azermedoth
Hail and Kill10/31/2008
4

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: ARVAS/HORDAGAARD
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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