Sworn to the Dark

Watain

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 24, 2007)
• Original Release Date: February 19, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Southern Lord
• ASIN: B000NOK0T4
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #60,428 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Legions of the Black Light

2. Satan's Hunger

3. Withershins [Instrumental]

4. Storm of the Antichrist

5. Light That Burns the Sun

6. Sworn to the Dark

7. Underneath the Cenotaph

8. Serpent's Chalice

9. Darkness and Death

10. Dead But Dreaming [Instrumental]

11. Stellarvore

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

After their critically acclaimed second release "Casus Luciferi" (Album of the Month in Terrorizer) and a successful two-month tour together with Dissection, Watain now present their third Black Metal monolith "Sworn to the Dark". --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Here it is!!! Great "old-timey" black metal!, May 25, 2007

By	Miss N. Thrope (Leftcoastfogland) - See all my reviews

Anybody tell you that Black Metal was dead recently? Just hand them a copy of this CD.

This one has just about everything I look for when I want to hear REAL black metal. Beautiful dark lush tremolo, tastful and majestic melodic themes soar over deliciously buzzy bass, and that lovely old school mix, done just right. You can hear all the instruments clearly, and all the songs are structured and mixed perfectly.

I can't find a single thing NOT to like. When I listen to this album, I feel the same way I remember feeling while listening to "Storm of the Light's Bane" for the first time. Though some fans might say that this album is a bit too Dissection-like, I would have to slightly dis-agree. First of all, the songs on this album all sound remarkably ORIGINAL to me. If there are comparisons to that of the afore mentioned "Storm..." or "The Somberlain", then it is more to Watain's credit that they were able to reproduce the quality of musicianship and professionalism of production contained within those early Dissection discs. Anyway, it should not be too much of a surprise to anyone, since Watain members E. Danielsson (vocals), and Set Teitan (Guitar and Bass) were both members of aformentioned!

Watain also shows how they can really mix it up. The first song, "Legions of the Black Light" greets you with crushing depressive chords that soon give way to thunderous blast beats that would surely please puppy piles of pitninjas. The intensity ebbs and surges nicely within the song finishing with a georgously rendered tremolo lead.

Many songs on this album will remind you in no uncertain terms where black metal has its origins. Both the first, as well as the second track "Satan's Hunger", is undoubtably Mayhem-homage. Fourth track "Storm of the Antichrist" draws rhythms from mosh-pit thrash and is seriously unrelenting. "The Light that Burns The Sun" is an anthem unto itself, pure darkness, numerous themes intertwining within the song. The arangements are masterfully done, changing tempo in smooth breaks that keep the listener engaged without seeming intrusive.

I also really enjoy how Watain manages to morph dreamy little passages of melody into a cacophanous barrage (Underneith the Cenotaph), or a doomy dirge that would rival anything by Celtic Frost (Stellarvore). Throughout this entire album, I am continually pleased by the luscious, syrupy thick guitar sounds, and the undeniable talent of the musicians. Kudos also to the expressive and well elocuted vocal performance of E. Danielsson.

Black metal has returned, and this album proves it. Still only shy of halfway into the year, I think it very likely that this album will end up making my best of 2007 list.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than I anticipated!, April 28, 2007

By	Phillip Simonis (Orange County) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Sworn to the Dark is their best by far. So far the best black metal I've heard this year. We know that Watain are inspired by old Dissection, and this album is no exception. Usurpers of the throne? Of course, and this totally makes up for Dissection (RIP) last piece of work.

Yes, it's beautifully evil, very well played and it'll get a hell of a lot of
play in your MP3/Car, whatever.

Buy or die!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars nothing new, but in black metal thats a good thing, May 8, 2007

By	S. Meyer (APO, AP United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Sworn to the Dark (Audio CD)

If your into BM give this on a try. They are not as heavy as bands like Marduk,Craft or as light as dissection, but sound a bit like dissection. I would give this a solid 3 1/2 maybe a bit higher if so many other good CDs had not just now came out. u can check them out on myspace if u google their name