Artist: Nameless Tomb / Witchcraft
Country: Germany / Finland
Label: Escafismo Records
Formats: Split 7″ EP
Year: 2023
Virtually simultaneously with the split 7” EP with Behalf Fiend there is also this Witchcraft split 7” EP with Nameless Tomb from Germany. That makes this EP well over a year old by now, which is usually not something I would consider doing a review on, but as stated in the other review: Witchcraft is a band that deserve to be applauded for keeping the true essence of underground metal alive.
Clocking in at almost seven minutes, Nameless Tomb opens the split with a rather lengthy track. Yet, even without listening or ever having heard a single note recorded by the one-man band before, the true connoisseur can take a wild guess at what’s coming. The band’s logo is a clear reference to the great Abhorer from Singapore and, frankly, this is largely where we can place Nameless Tomb as well. A rather messy and chaotic sort of Black/Death Metal blend that feels like as if it was recorded during those roaring late 80’s and early 90’s: the primal steps of Black Metal. Somewhere in between the First Wave and booming Second Wave of Black Metal, a period that is typified by an occult and evil sound. Nameless Tomb doesn’t beat around the bush and honors the gods of old. The heavy and doomy atmosphere, both driven by a bass-heavy sound and sinister keyboards make a resemblance with bands like Beherit, Mortuary Drape, old Samael and Mystifier quite hard to miss.
On the other side we find the Finnish flagbearers of all things wicked and evil. Witchcraft’s track is an obvious continuation of what we’ve come to expect from them. Yet, ‘Delirium Mare’ is a track that shows the Finnish band from a more furious and fiery side, it is rather speedy and while it still has a very strong Beherit and Blasphemy vibe to it, there is a certain flavor of German Speed/Thrash Metal from the early to mid-80’s. The proto-Thrash riffs of Sodom and Living Death allows the song to sound versatile and sets it apart from the usual more slow and pummeling character of Witchcraft’s music. No worries for those who love that very side of the band, as ‘Delerium Mare’ features an interlude about halfway through the song that will satisfy this craving as well. But precisely because of the slightly more Thrashy riffs and the faster passages, this song gets a bit more inviting depth and dynamics that fits Witchcraft without fail.
