Artist: Nathrath
Country: Spain
Label: Narbentage Produktionen
Format: Demo Tape
Year: 2026
For an old soul like me, it’s still nice to actually hear a demo on cassette tape, especially a first one. In fact, I have nothing against demos being made available digitally, but there’s really nothing like a demo/rehearsal/promo offered on cassette. Not only the sound, but also the physical appeal of the medium plays a role and evokes a certain sense of nostalgia. Nathrath therefore has a head start with “Demo 1” on cassette, and it also fits in very well with the equally old-school sounding Black Metal of this Spanish one-man project.
Although this is the first feat under this moniker, the person behind the band, who bears the same name, has already had some past and present experience in Hüljatud, Ancient Moon Curse, and Jägerblood. The latter also released a demo relatively recently via the Ukrainian label Depressive Illusions Records, but it didn’t appeal to me at all because it’s a kind of gimmick glorifying the Jägermeister drink. With Nathrath, at least, things seem to be a bit more serious.
After a short intro taken from a film, “Demo 1” delivers about ten minutes of Black Metal that is both raw and slightly atmospheric, reminiscent of the many demos that saw the light of day in the early 2000s. The appropriately rough production fits well with the atmospheric use of the keyboards, which are woven throughout the songs but occasionally also get the opportunity to shine on their own. Whether this is intentional is unclear, but the occasionally somewhat off-key sounding keyboards actually add an extra dimension to the authenticity of the overall experience and also fit in perfectly with the somewhat standard Black Metal vocals. All things considered, it may not be particularly original, but the execution is of sufficient quality to make “Demo 1” an enjoyable first encounter.
