News.RttP{Intolerant Records (Canada) presents: Martyrvore and Cold Northern Vengeance split cs}

Cold Northern Vengeance reviews:

It is a great surprise for me to receive such a quality release as "The Arising Dungeon Cult" in my hands and i haven't heard such a masterpiece for such a long time. This one really turned me on so badly that i HAD to let you know there's SUCH a wicked band around! The paroxysm of my transes were reached when i listened to their fourth anthem "...AND DEATH" as well as the minimalistic outro which both carried me to the seven stars! This proper song gave me the same feelings as Bathory's "Blood Fire Death" 17 years ago when i listened to that one for the first time. I simply couldn t believe my eyes and my ears that the scene got such gems as CNV. I really must stress that CNV is a fantastic band, so PLEASE get in touch with my brother "HEATHEN" RIGHT NOW, Heathen promise IMMEDIATE replies to all callers. - Christophe Szpajdel (Metalkiosk Newsletter)

Review for Arising Dungeon Cult

Cold Northern Vengance does for New England Black Metal what Judas Iscariot does for American Black Metal. CNV Distingishes it and proves the Scandinavians aren't the only ones who bring plenty of blood fire death to the table. With their relase The Arising Dungeon Cult (Ixiol Productions). Gemini and Frost Heathen have put together an excellent album of five songs.
These five tracks range from intense, dark, racing riffs that are sometimes melodic, but always pulvarizing. Atmospheric keyboard landscapes that transport the listener to realms of darkness and evil. The lyrics harken back to the days of Odin and Thor worshiping pagans (which is apparent by the "Thor's hammer" symbol in their logo).
CNV are cultivating a distinct sound all thier own , with influences such as Burzum, Immortal and Bathory. The fascination with opening synth lines brings to mind Burzum, while some of the lighting fast riffs on Aphelioni! stic Pansophism bring to mind more of an Immortal approach. However, there is plenty here that stands on its own as original in form.
The album opens with the track "A Past Forgotten" . The listener is greeted with a beautitful keyboard line that soon turns to Black Metal mayhem. The compositons contained within The Arising Dungeon Cult usually consist of fast paced blasting interspersed with mid tempo black metal beats, thus providing a dynamic feel to the ryhthm the riffing rests on. It is an album not burdened with monotony. The album finishes with a lengthy synth bit that is atmospheric, evil and atypical to other New England metal acts. This shows the band's ability to stand out from the herd. Anyone with an appreciation for Black Metal should hear this album. It seems to reveal "new" subtle nuances upon repeated listen, as one is drawn into a musical landscape that is cold, dark, mysterious and hinting at ancient evil. - Review by Pagan Megan (Hekseri)

Gli amanti del black metal atmosferico non possono assolutamente ignorare questa release.
Americani, i C. N. V. giungono ad un debutto discografico di sicuro interesse; inoltre, nonostante la loro casa discografica sia molto underground, gode di una buona distribuzione qui in Italia.
Prendete le atmosfere di tastiera minimali del debutto dei Dimmu Borgir, che danno all'insieme qualcosa di occulto e misterioso, uniteci la tragedia del nuovo depressive, infarcite il tutto con robusti riff heavy metal, il tutto riletto in una chiave di lettura black metal tradizionale.
I C. N. V. vogliono creare un marchio proprio, uno stile che sia nel contempo "full of hatred", ma anche arcano ed eterogeneo e ci riescono veramente bene, con alcuni picchi qualitativi notevoli.
Prendiamo ad esempio la prima canzone "A Past Forgotten"; le parti di tastiera sono molto coinvolgenti, creano una perfetta alchimia con i riff soffocanti e cacofonici e la voce evocativa e profonda, che potremmo definire in semi-growl.
È difficile lanciarsi un questo stile ormai quasi estinto, che quasi in tutti i casi sfiora il patetico e lo stucchevole, i C. N. V. riescono invece a dare la carica e la magia giusta per trasportare l'ascoltatore nelle loro fredde lande con melodie più che piacevoli e mai pacchiane.
Ho apprezzato molto anche le escursioni claustrofobiche "alla" Blut Aus Nord di ".And Death", pezzo con il cantato sussurrato alla Dolorian e un andamento incalzante, mai sostenuto e morboso.
Da notare infine i bizzarri esperimenti ambient molto primordiali di "Spectramancy", da citare più che altro per la diversità con il resto più che per la bellezza del pezzo, che suona più come riempitivo che altro, ma essendo l'ultima traccia non disturba.
In generale siamo quindi di fronte ad un album di buon valore, con dei picchi che fanno presagire un futuro roseo per questi americani! - (From Black Terror Metal zine (Italy)

COLD NORTHERN VENGEANCE - S/T
Cold Northern Vengeance really has all their bases covered, proudly working into their logo design: 2 upside down crosses, 2 battle axes, 1 sun wheel and of course a Thor's Hammer thrown in for good measure. With so many sigils of power leading the visual stampede, I feared that this would be a 4 track CDr demo full of clichés and likely unintelligible, amateurish poo. Thankfully, Cold Northern Vengeance turned out to be a very mighty thrust of pagan black metal that takes great care in creating a sound that is rather unique while sounding quite European. Starting this release out with an instrumental is a bold statement, one that shows how confident CNV is in their songwriting skills. Melodic riffs intertwine into layered dissonance, filling the warm sound spectrum with atmosphere and feelings of a triumphant victory in battle. The vibe created by this band is very majestic, even vision inducing, which is capitalized on 10 fold by their minimal use of keyboards and longer guitar phrases that really give the structures a lot of room to breath in all the staples of black metal and its sub-genres, to exhale suffocating drifts of snow covered woodland lust and pride in ones ancestral ties. The vocals found on "There are Halls to Spirit Depths of Buried Jelling" and "From Dungeons, to Northern Blackstorms" are mid-ranged and burnt out in their meaty lyrical upheaval and it strikes these ears as a delivery that isn't typically found on the countless releases that pay due respect to Darkthrone. CNV leaves us with another impressive instrumental that is even more spacious in atmosphere and sonically wanders to ancient lands with dense guitar lines and a separate and minimal keyboard progression that really adds an enchanting dimension to this 2 man projects impressive and dynamic sound. Only 4 tracks and I must say this is easily the best and most meaningful demo found in this issue. I'm eager to hear what Cold Northern Vengeance can come up with for their next trip to the battlegrounds. - Marty
CNV, PO Box 48, Seabrook, NH 03874 USA
(Review from Worm Gear Zine)