Great band!

Lawless Darkness has leaked.

To be perfectly honest, I'm not too impressed by Watain. Rabid Death's Curse is a purely medicore album, Casus Luciferi is decent, but nothing spectacular, and Sworn to the Dark is their best, but that's not really saying much. Overall, they have a chaotic, relentless sound, but, in my eyes (or rather ears), they just don't have that evil/eerie wibe that makes a good BM band.

Seeing them tomorrow at the MDF. Stoked.

Written by Galar on 27.05.2010 at 19:22

Seeing them tomorrow at the MDF. Stoked.

You should be. Have you seen them yet? I saw them a couple of years ago, and I must say they had stage presence coming out the wazoo.

Written by Doc G. on 27.05.2010 at 21:48

Written by Galar on 27.05.2010 at 19:22

Seeing them tomorrow at the MDF. Stoked.

You should be. Have you seen them yet? I saw them a couple of years ago, and I must say they had stage presence coming out the wazoo.

Was going to a couple years ago but I think it was 21+. Redemption comes tomorrow.

I can't wait for the album! Bought the limited single today and I'm in love with "Reaping Death", the Bathory cover is really good too. My expectations are really high since I consider "Sworn to the Dark" to be the second best black metal album out there.

Written by Warman on 29.05.2010 at 18:39

... since I consider "Sworn to the Dark" to be the second best black metal album out there.

What do you consider to be the best?

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 29.05.2010 at 18:51

What do you consider to be the best?

Probably "Storm of the Light's Bane".

Written by Warman on 29.05.2010 at 18:56

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 29.05.2010 at 18:51

What do you consider to be the best?

Probably "Storm of the Light's Bane".

It's funny, I still see that album as more melodeath than black metal. An old argument, and not a popular opinion, but hey ho.

Written by Guest on 29.05.2010 at 18:58

It's funny, I still see that album as more melodeath than black metal. An old argument, and not a popular opinion, but hey ho.

It certainly has some melodeath vibes, but overall I see it as melodic black metal.

Written by Warman on 29.05.2010 at 19:00

Written by Guest on 29.05.2010 at 18:58

It's funny, I still see that album as more melodeath than black metal. An old argument, and not a popular opinion, but hey ho.

It certainly has some melodeath vibes, but overall I see it as melodic black metal.

Whoops, dunno what happened there. Not important anyway.

Written by Warman on 29.05.2010 at 18:39

I can't wait for the album! Bought the limited single today and I'm in love with "Reaping Death", the Bathory cover is really good too. My expectations are really high since I consider "Sworn to the Dark" to be the second best black metal album out there.

You'll probably like "Lawless Darkness" then. I've listened to it a number of times now (maybe about four or five) and not a whole lot is sticking out to me track wise - the album is very much like "Sworn To the Dark" imo. I was expecting some thing different, some thing darker with a bit of a new direction. Though, "Waters of Ain" is pretty good, especially with it being a longer track (14:31).

Written by Bitter Dawn on 31.05.2010 at 11:52

You'll probably like "Lawless Darkness" then. I've listened to it a number of times now (maybe about four or five) and not a whole lot is sticking out to me track wise - the album is very much like "Sworn To the Dark" imo. I was expecting some thing different, some thing darker with a bit of a new direction. Though, "Waters of Ain" is pretty good, especially with it being a longer track (14:31).

Well just a week left And to hear about a long song always makes me drool.

Written by Bitter Dawn on 31.05.2010 at 11:52

Written by Warman on 29.05.2010 at 18:39

I can't wait for the album! Bought the limited single today and I'm in love with "Reaping Death", the Bathory cover is really good too. My expectations are really high since I consider "Sworn to the Dark" to be the second best black metal album out there.

You'll probably like "Lawless Darkness" then. I've listened to it a number of times now (maybe about four or five) and not a whole lot is sticking out to me track wise - the album is very much like "Sworn To the Dark" imo. I was expecting some thing different, some thing darker with a bit of a new direction. Though, "Waters of Ain" is pretty good, especially with it being a longer track (14:31).

I agree. My friend burned it for me. It's still something I'll purchase myself, but not that outstanding. At least nothing unexpected. Now the new A Forest of Stars, oh yeah bitches! Been listening to that straight since Saturday. CD, iPod, CD, iPod

Written by TheBigRossowski on 31.05.2010 at 18:41

I agree. My friend burned it for me. It's still something I'll purchase myself, but not that outstanding. At least nothing unexpected. Now the new A Forest of Stars, oh yeah bitches! Been listening to that straight since Saturday. CD, iPod, CD, iPod

Interesting, I haven't been able to find the upcoming release of A Forest of Stars "Opportunistic Thieves of Spring". Just as I have no idea what the hell is up with the new Hell Militia, it was supposed to be out a month ago but, there's nothing and no word from their site about it being postponed.

Written by Bitter Dawn on 31.05.2010 at 22:54

Written by TheBigRossowski on 31.05.2010 at 18:41

I agree. My friend burned it for me. It's still something I'll purchase myself, but not that outstanding. At least nothing unexpected. Now the new A Forest of Stars, oh yeah bitches! Been listening to that straight since Saturday. CD, iPod, CD, iPod

Interesting, I haven't been able to find the upcoming release of A Forest of Stars "Opportunistic Thieves of Spring". Just as I have no idea what the hell is up with the new Hell Militia, it was supposed to be out a month ago but, there's nothing and no word from their site about it being postponed.

Well, that's cause I pre-ordered it and it arrived on Saturday the 29th. I suppose, they just wanted to make sure all international orders arrive on time. Looks like the album didn't leak, that's great for AFOS

Is Lawless any good? If it is then I'll have to make an effort to listen to it sooner but at the moment it's kinda near the end of my list...

Watain are one the few of these religious bands that I like but I think that they haven't managed to fully realise their potential on any of the albums (haven't listened to Lawless Darkness properly though), for instance on Rabid Death's Curse and Casus Luciferi there are some hints of brilliance, some really interesting sounding things going on, but it's like they move on without expanding on them. I'm not literate in musical terminology, but I remember that when listening to Casus for the first time, some parts were like "ok, this sounds very promising, wonder how they'll develop it further" but they didn't develop it anywhere. There are hints of brilliance on Casus but I always get bored halfway through when listening to it.

Lawless is on Youtube so you can listen to it there, the songs I listened seemed kind of meh, somewhat boring but with occasional great Bathory-like riffs.

EDIT: the album's streaming here:

http://www.metalsucks.net/2010/06/01/exclusive-full-album-stream-watains-lawless-darkness/

I'm currently listening and it sounds boring, with occasional satisfiyng riffs thrown in here and there. Overall impression is lukewarm.

Written by Guest on 02.06.2010 at 00:08

...on Rabid Death's Curse and Casus Luciferi there are some hints of brilliance, some really interesting sounding things going on, but it's like they move on without expanding on them. I'm not literate in musical terminology, but I remember that when listening to Casus for the first time, some parts were like "ok, this sounds very promising, wonder how they'll develop it further" but they didn't develop it anywhere. There are hints of brilliance on Casus but I always get bored halfway through when listening to it.

I agree with you about the two albums that you mentioned, but I think they significantly expanded their sound with Sworn to the Dark. As opposed to Rabid Death's Curse, the songs on STtD have their own identity for the most part, and the last song really shows their maturity with song writing.

Written by Dangerboner on 02.06.2010 at 06:12

I agree with you about the two albums that you mentioned, but I think they significantly expanded their sound with Sworn to the Dark. As opposed to Rabid Death's Curse, the songs on STtD have their own identity for the most part, and the last song really shows their maturity with song writing.

I don't see Sworn to the Dark as expanding on the sound of the first two albums, it sounds like something else, this sense of madness and morbidity is replaced by a more epic approach. I mean, they obviously sound like the same band on Sworn, but there's something about Rabid Death's Curse and Casus Luciferi that's missing on Sworn.

I've been listening to the the stream of new album and have mixed feelings about it. It continues the more epic and "rocking" approach of Sworn, which is not a bad thing, but it's somewhat of a drag. On the positive side, the riffing is often excellent and the album seems to have a healthy dose of Bathory/Mercyful Fate/Master's Hammer and Mortuary Drape influences.

On the negative side, the melodies often feel pointless and predictable, they are basically the same old vaguely-evil sounding shit everyone's grown used to and one of the guitar solos is horrible. It also has it's fair share of riffs that just exist there without communicating anything.

I am blown away! "Lawless Darkness" is so much more than I hoped for! I never thought I would say this, but it's just as good as "Sworn to the Dark". Every song is like an orgasm to me. I bought the album two days ago but first listened to it yesterday on my way to work.
I think my face looked something like this:

It's way to early but I just know it: Best album of 2010!

"Waters of Ain" must be the bands best song yet and their most different.

Written by Warman on 10.06.2010 at 11:44


It's way to early but I just know it: Best album of 2010!

+1, but there's still a lot to come though.

'Rabid Death Curse' will always be their best IMHO. Although the new one is an absolute cracker. 'Waters of Ain' may just be the best song they've ever written. Beats 'Sworn to the Dark' hands down anyway.

Sworn to the Dark is my least favorite album. It just sounds too 'unraw' for Watain's standards. The new album is hella raw and I really like it. I also heard the cover of 'The Return of Darkness and Evil' and it's a helluva song too. Badass.

Http://massmurder-666.blogspot.com/

heres a VON interview i did june 2010.
im not gonna fuck around building up a hundred posts first to share this with folk. enjoy!

I've been listening to "Lawless Darkness" non stop and came to the conclusion that it's just as good as "Sworn to the Dark". Can't choose between those two. They're very much alike although "Lawless Darkness" has a more distinct guitar sound, which is just good IMO.

These pics rule

Simply awesome.