Ov Hell

This is one solid album. Ov Hell might currently only be seen as a side-project for Dimmu Borgir vocalist Shagrath and ex-Gorgoroth bassist King, but after The Underworld Regime takes hold of genre fans, there could be a passing of the black metal torch. Not only do the production values shun the obligatory wet reverb to ensure we can actually hear what's going on, but this duo reveal an inspired attack in writing and song delivery that keeps every one of these eight tunes powerful and gripping from start to finish. Adding in shifts from typical blast beats to Venom-inspired rock riffs, Ov Hell are almost instantly one of few modern black metal bands that have enough contextual grit to be provocative without hitting the point of insult and professional while still adhering to the formative elements of their genre.