Mysticism and nature make for good bedfellows and so too do the bands on this split album, embracing the raptures of the elements through atmospheric black metal. The drab colours of the artwork may have you envisaging the cold, dark and grey merciless aspects of the environment but there is some colour here as there is with the passing of the seasons. The climate is presented with a certain amount of danger and turbulence and like the earth, due to the carelessness of mankind it is one in a state of constant flux and revolt. Perhaps a return to the old ways is what is necessary for survival and that is maybe where the mysticism is focused. It is no doubt far too late though and the warnings have been ignored. The pessimism relayed in harsh guttural vocals and a swirling diorama of tremolo picking tie the bands together like harbingers of woe. We are all doomed, so the confrontational themes should come as no surprise as we meet them head on.

Häxanu are no strangers with two full-lengths to their name. The USA based project of multi- instrumentalist Alex Poole of Krieg, Skaphe, Ringarë & Chaos Moon to name just a few sees him united again with vocalist L.C. of Lichmagick. First of their four offerings ‘Mercy’ swirls in with eerie synth-work before the clouds burst and unleash a soaking torment. Fast and cleaving but sombre in tone, the angry and guttural vocals are full of rage and compliment the windswept battering from the drums and melodic guitar assault. The oddly entitled ‘Saintly Surgery’ has a feel of barren bitterness about it as it bounces away and leaves you feeling you are now in the midst of a stinging hailstorm. The synths give things a starry chill on a cold night vibe and tremolo bursts from the drums are utilised to great bombastic effect. After taking shelter in a brief swaying ‘Untitled’ instrumental the final weight of ‘The Winged Chalice’ weaves a maudlin spell with hypnotic melody and tempestuous force merging with spell-binding frosty deliverance.

Greve are a Swedish band and are primarily helmed by Swartadauþuz, owner of Ancient Records and artist currently involved within the folds of well over 25 bands past and present. Although the switch of material is at first perhaps unnoticeable it does not take long before you realise that the drama is intensified compared to the more-subtle work of Häxanu. Raw and feral, craggy vocals and chants compliment the seething riff work and urgent pummelling of ‘Gudaföraktets Ton’ (The Tone Of Blasphemy) and this has a real epic Scandinavian urgency about it that dips back in time through the decades. We may have got a good soaking before but here we get the full-blown storm via booming drum parts and as the band continue whipping up a blizzard. There are even sampled crashes of thunder and hair-standing bolts of lightning to contend with. At times the guitar work has a sound that makes you think you are hearing folky violin devilishly weaving around, synths too are present occasionally in the background and everything is pelted out over a massive landscape. It’s like having wandered through a forest you emerge to confront a huge unhospitable terrain with snow-capped mountains rising in the distance. With symphonic elements and a crashing sound akin to Thor wielding his mighty hammer ‘Myllan av det Förgångna’ sounds absolutely massive and is enough to have you ducking for cover. If you survive its 8-minute clamour and don’t get literally blown away in the eye of its cyclone you may just about emerge into ‘Ur Nattdimmans Ljus’ (‘Out of the Light of the Night Fog’) and wonder just what the hell hit you. You will also probably want to go and check out Greve’s previous two albums too.

(7.5/10 Pete Woods)