GRAV – OMHULDA ONDSKANS KRETSLOPP LP (Ancient Records / Afgrundsvisioner)

Unless I’m getting (handsomely) paid, I’m not inclined to write much about anything; well, ‘Omhulda Ondskans Kretslopp’ certainly doesn’t inspire me to get battering on the old computer keyboard. According to a note on the back cover, this 47-minute long demo was written and recorded in a total of 24 hours. Assuming this is true (which requires quite a stretch of the imagination), it shows.

To cut to the chase, the music on here is, for the most part, banal, bland, low-key, uninspired / uninspiring and underwhelming.

Afraid that I might miss out on something, I tend to gobble up Ancient Records’ limited-edition, vinyl-only releases but, with the benefit of hindsight, this one was a pointless purchase. Listening to the tedious, (laboured) slow- to (pompous) mid-paced ploddings going on here is tough going and – while ‘Omhulda Ondskans Kretslopp’ isn’t necessarily terrible – it also isn’t particularly good. Nor is it Black Metal, as far as I’m concerned, which renders it even more redundant.

When I listen to this record (which won’t happen too many more times, I assure you – if at all), I feel like I’m going to slip into a coma. Then I remember how much money I spent on it and my offended senses return with a vengeance.

Evilometer: 111/666