Don’t you just love the English names for cities, districts, shire counties and villages? This time we’re talking about a band from Barrow-In-Furness, which can be found in the county of Cumbria, which also beholds lovely places like Askam and Ireleth, Aspatria, Arlecdon and Frizington, Appleby-in-Westmorland, Kirkby Lonsdale and probably everyone’s favourite Cockermouth. No seriously, I really love it and wouldn’t mind to check out a game of Workington A.F.C..
But none of that cosiness on “Spirits of the Darkwood”, as Altra Mors is playing their dark art with raw atmosphere and have done that since 2015. The pace within the songs changes from up-tempo Black Metal to a pace like Black/Doom, the raw underground production certainly enhance the Doom part, which serves the listener a platter of unsophisticated yet tasteful dish of Mayhem, Satanic Warmaster and Xasthur influences. The contrast can be heard in songs like “Fog of Ruin” and “Amidst Rotting Wood I Reach My End”. Quite a good listen and if you’re fan of underground Black Metal with variation in songwriting, check it out if you are able obtain a copy as the cassette version are very limited. (Ricardo)
