Kratornas – Over the Fourth Part of the Earth

Now that is interesting: Black Metal from the Philippines is not something you come across everyday. This soloproject of Bruno called Kratornas started off in 1994. Since then the band, or rather, Bruno, had to do with lots of trouble and complications to get this band off the ground seriously. Finally, after lots of MCD’s, casettes, demo’s and splits, in 2007 the first album is released and that’s what I have in my hands right now. On his website, Bruno is trying his best to be as underground as possible and stressing that he IS underground and that those who are not should die… Not really inviting but let’s go to the music.

This record, called ‘Over the Fourth Part of the World’, starts off with an ominous song called ‘Deathwings’. It has a 50 seconds lasting guitar intro and then bursts off into some mixture of Grind and Black. This actually is quite original. I do not know a band to compare this to. Taking into account that underground Black Metal bands are not renowned for their well produced albums, this one ends up high on the ladder in that aspect.

The album continues with high speed riffing and extremely fast soloing high up the (guitar) neck. Sometimes a somewhat slower intro or interlude, but that’s it. With the exception of the sixth song called ‘Dead Messiah’ which sounds like Bathory. Still though, the album never bores me. I was a bit disappointed that this record ended so soon. If the vocals would have been somewhat more prominent in the mix, I would be very happy with this record. If you’re with all the similar blackies that’re out there nowadays, you should check this one out.