CLANDESTINE BLAZE – HARMONY OF STRUGGLE LP (Northern Heritage Records)

Fuck me – has it really been three years since ‘Falling Monuments’? My life must be accelerating past at a ludicrous pace because I thought that album only came out about a year ago… Fuck it! Clandestine Blaze’s seventh full-length, ‘Harmony Of Struggle’ is again released on Mikko’s own label and – as with everything he has delivered under this handle – it is typically excellent.

Listening along to this album, I am struck by the sheer enormity of what an artist like Mikko Aspa manages to achieve with little or no help from anybody. His work is inspirational, unique, life-affirming and truly marvellous. As well as being immense and fierce, ‘Harmony Of Struggle’ is a very emotional album at times and the sound is often more ‘epic’ (for want of a better word) than what I’ve become accustomed to from Clandestine Blaze.

Very simply, you will not be disappointed if you decide to purchase this record. Composed and executed by an inspired individual who clearly knows what he’s doing – and who puts his experience and wherewithal to maximum use – ‘Harmony Of Struggle’ is a veritable tour de force, an exhibition of Black Metal mastery. A monument. I was going to say there were some truly magical moments to be found along the way but, to be fair, this is a magical journey from start to finish.

High calibre, flawless, grim, raw, astonishing Black Metal that oozes nastiness, filth and class and shits all over its peers (with interesting artwork; lyric sheet included, for those who care). Nothing more to say … this is an easy review to write and I am not one for throwing in superfluous superlatives or rambling prose just for the hell of it. If you want to be impressed, then open a new tab right now and buy this fucker.

Evilometer: 666/666