Band: Ancient North
Album: The Woods of Samael
Genre: Black Metal
Country: United States
Label: Independent
Released: July 11th, 2025
Introduction
American black metal veterans deliver a rip-roaring stroll through the forest with their sixth release, The Woods of Samael.
The Woods of Samael
Tracklist:
- Intro
- At the Threshold to Satan’s Kingdoms
- Restoring the Order of the Dragon
- Worms of Bethlehem
- Hatching Eggs of the Beast Malukah
- The Woods of Samael
Ancient North has been in the Oregon black metal scene for three years founded by Forlorn Blacktooth, who also has another project called Necroseer, which I would like to venture into soon.
The Woods of Samael is such a beast of an album. The intro track is the gateway to insanity of this album, letting the listener know you have entered a hellish forest with beckoning devilish vocals. With the second track, At the Threshold to Satan’s Kingdoms, blisters hellish blast beats, distorted guitar riffs, and vocals spewing doomsday messages. Literally speaking, every track on this album offers blast beats galore, distorted guitars, spewing vocals, and death growls that sound like Satan himself is speaking to the audience.
With this album, Forlorn plays all the instruments himself, as well as all the vocals and the devilish vocal atmosphere scattered through each track. It almost borders on blackened death metal, but he does an excellent job keeping it mostly black metal throughout the album.
In contrast to this album being good, my one initial complaint is the production being overly distorted. It is because prior releases Ancient North has, the guitars were a bit compressed, or the vocals were not necessarily out in front. Nonetheless, it is Black Metal and for one man to compose and deliver this monstrosity, has my utmost respect, as well as his fans in the scene.
Conclusion
This album is immensely different from their previous material and is definitely worth the journey to listen to. If you are interested in bands such as Marduk, Gorgoroth, and earlier Darkthrone, then this album is for you.
BMZ Rating: 7,5 out of 10
Support Ancient North here: https://wulfhereproductions.bandcamp.com/album/the-woods-of-samael
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