Exalted

Ridiculous album title notwithstanding, Exalted serve up a solid 30 minutes of abrasive black metal with a touch of melody and some rock’n’roll to break-up the misanthropy. It’s sloppy, it’s repetitive and it sure as hell is beating a dead horse but it’s somewhat refreshing to hear something so one-dimensional and steadfast in its adherence to genre conventions. Too many bands don’t play to their strengths. In this case, it’s crusty, drunken black/death with just enough variation to keep listeners on their toes. The musicianship leaves a fair bit to be desired but that’s hardly the point. Fans of raw black metal in general, especially the less atmospheric, more irreverent strains of it, will be all over this one.