Under the Dark Soil is delving back through time and space and dragging ‘異族聖歌 Pagan’s Hymn’ back to the future from 2002. MartyrdoM, a Chinese Black Metal band from Beijing are the band responsible for said album, and UTDS have a great track record when it comes to unearthing Far Eastern gems.
MartyrdoM play fast, ultra-aggressive Black Metal with a tinny low-fi sound, featuring raw vocals that scorch and sear as they spew forth bile and vitriol, furious break neck pace riffs with an icy flavour to them and a simple, blast beat driven back line which if my research is correct is drum programming rather than actual drummer, and finally no real bass play discernible.
‘異族聖歌 Pagan’s Hymn’ isn’t going to be to every Black Metal fans tastes. It’s raw, and that works in its favour but the production has a layer of static to it that after a while starts to feel like tinnitus. That being said, super lo-fi production has a definite fan base and its growing stronger, and 殉難 MartyrdoM’s visceral unrelenting approach crossed with their grinding, nauseating melodies will win this re-release a lot of black hearted Pagan love. (Marksson)
