Artist: Funeral Moon / Gaalvan
Country: Germany
Label: Crimson Reign Records
Formats: Split Cassette Tape
Year: 2026
Just as on previous occasions, we haven’t had to wait long for new work from Gaalvan; just three months after the release of the ‘Beastial Serpent of the South’ demo tape, we already have another cassette tape in our hands. This time it’s a split cassette shared with the fellow German band Funeral Moon. Unlike Gaalvan, which has appeared on these pages twice before, Funeral Moon was a new discovery for me. But given that I’d enjoyed both of Gaalvan’s demo tapes, there was no reason to assume that I wouldn’t also enjoy both sides of this split. I’ll let you in on a secret: fans of Raw Black Metal that sounds as though it’s been recorded a quarter of a century ago will be in their element with this split cassette.
Funeral Moon kicks things off, serving up three tracks that together amount to around 25 minutes of thoroughly regressive Black Metal. I must admit, I have a huge soft spot for Black Metal from around the turn of the century; the whole, almost punk-like DIY aesthetic, combined with the slightly rough production and the impulsive energy that’s palpable throughout, that’s something I sometimes find myself missing in contemporary Black Metal. Despite the youthful age of Diaboluus, the sole driving force behind this project, the musician certainly knows how this kind of Black Metal works. Clearly drawing on the visionary ideas of Darkthrone’s ‘unholy trinity’, Diaboluus crafts his Black Metal in the musical tradition of fellow countrymen Nargaroth and Moonblood, as well as Weltmacht and Judas Iscariot. Filled to the brim with surprisingly powerful riffs and a poignant, melancholic atmosphere, this has been a particularly enjoyable introduction to this young musician for me.
On the previous two demo tapes, Gaalvan had already won me over with a charm that is also reminiscent of bygone Black Metal days. From the trajectory of the rapidly successive releases, it was already clear that D.T., the young man behind both Gaalvan and the Crimson Reign Records label, was still very much in the process of charting his musical course. The result was that the latest demo tape, ‘Beastial Serpent Of The South’, was by far the best of the lot. Although some people might interpret this as an uncertain musical direction, I think it’s mainly down to experimenting with ideas and allowing a musical identity to crystallise naturally. The music on this split cassette is once again somewhat different from what came before, yet at the same time builds on those foundations. Following a somewhat Godkiller-esque intro, the Black Metal finally erupts in the second half of the second track. Nevertheless, that somewhat medieval atmosphere lingers in the music, even when a passage of Baroque-style classical music is introduced. The simplicity of the music itself stands in stark opposition to this, yet it also creates an interesting dynamic and contrast. If one were to view this as ‘criticism’, the argument would still hold that Gaalvan doesn’t seem quite sure which direction to take, but the authentic atmosphere remains the defining factor in the listening experience. Personally, I prefer the ‘Beastial Serpent Of The South’ demo to these three new tracks and, to be completely honest, it’s mainly Funeral Moon’s side of this split cassette (limited to twenty copies) that really stands out for me.
