Band:	Asagraum
Album:	Veil Of Death, Ruptured
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	October 2023

01. Ignem Purificat Lilitu
02. Fearless Dominance
03. Opus Ad Errantem
04. De Verloren Tijd
05. Impure Fire
06. Veil Of Death, Ruptured
07. Opus Ad Aeternum
08. De Waanzin Roept Mijn Naam

Through the Veil Of Death, Ruptured in the grasp of the witches of Asagraum's dark, evil, sinister spell, you'll succumb to the unholy powers of traditional black metal.

Fully female line-ups seem to be something of a rarity in metal, especially when it comes to the black metal genre, but it really shouldn't be. Netherlands-based black metal duo Asagraum, led by guitarist/vocalist/bassist Obscura (aka Hanna Van Den Berg) with drummer A. (aka Amber de Buijzer) is a shining example of why. Now, as far as I'm concerned, Asagraum are amongst the best in the unholy business of producing quality traditional black metal as well as being arguably one of, if not the best, female black metal acts around at the moment. This year, in fact, has seen a great deal of female metal acts in top form, with the likes of death and thrash metal bands such as Crypta and Nervosa providing some top quality releases. So, it's only right that Asagraum go the same way, and they've done just that with this latest offering, Veil Of Death, Ruptured.

Veil Of Death, Ruptured is the third full-length release by the Dutch duo, one which follows their debut Potestas Magicum Diaboli (2017), and Dawn Of Infinite Fire (2019), both of which are fine examples of how traditional black metal should be done. However, if you thought their previous two efforts were solid, then this latest edition could well blow your mind, if the simple old school second wave black metal approach is your thing. "Ignem Purificat Lilitu" is a great opening to the album, which immediately features some of the album's most melodic and memorable riffs. The rhythm section repeatedly goes back and forth from furious to mid-tempo, and the sinister tone sounds as traditional and vile as black metal can possibly get, and Obscura shows her fine display of howling blackened shrieks. The track features some haunting chants which are soon followed a soft acoustic passage which gently brings the opening track to its dark, sinister end.

The following track "Fearless Dominance" takes a slightly more dissonant approach, containing a more chaotic rhythm section and more aggressively driven tempo, but it's the guitar lead that takes shape towards the end that's perhaps the highlight of this particular track. "De Verloren Tijd" follows, and begins with another highly memorable, melodic riff, sounding like something out of Inquisition's book, before unleashing a frenzied attack of powerful blast-beats and ferocious tremolos. It also offers a dark, atmospheric midway section using some very well executed guitar work. This, overall, is perhaps the stand-out track on the album, and maybe even one of the most memorable tracks in the traditional black metal sense that I've heard this year.

The title track "Veil of Death, Ruptured" begins suddenly with a Mgła-esque mid-tempo riff, and provides another great and effective build-up before unleashing their devastatingly sinister, blast-beating tremolo attack. Following is "Opus Ad Aeternum", a fairly short, eerie acoustic interval which leads to the closing track "De Waanzin Roept Mijn Naam". The riffs on this closer are splendid to say the least; there are some fine melodic, hypnotic tremolos on display throughout its six-minutes duration. Its various rhythm changes, with slower rhythmic drumming patterns that erupt suddenly into furious blast beats work incredibly effectively.

Overall, Veil Of Death, Ruptured brings nothing unique, in the sense that Asagraum don't offer any genre-blending complexity or add any original ideas to the songwriting as such. Just think of what the old Norwegian acts brought to the scene during the 90s, only here you can say the band revitalises that style in a perhaps more modernly produced fashion. If you want simple, traditional, sinister, black metal, then these witches have conjured up a spell that'll surely suit your unholy desires.