Crest of Darkness

Project Regeneration (Listenable)
by Paul Lee

Crest Of Darkness‘ previous genesis of sonic destruction, The Ogress, managed to elude the ears of many extreme metal fanatics worldwide. ‘Tis a shame because it was a brutal yet melodic classic that blew away plenty of the competition (that is to say 95% of the crap released by labels like Nuclear Blast). Now these twisted Norwegians grace the world with their newest testament to darkness, Project Regeneration, and they’ve managed to exceed The Ogress in complexity and extremity and add some industrial flavors for good measure. Graced by an eerie Chad Michael Ward cover (known for his work with such finely insane acts as Darkane), the ten songs on Project Regeneration match the intensity and unholiness of the CD art.

Crest Of Darkness are part of the new wave of high-tech black metal, along with Satyricon and Dodheimsgard, but they blend in more thrash and epic metal elements (a la Old Man’s Child). Take an auditory gander at songs like “Computerized” that tear into the fabric of reality with blastbeats, raging guitars, and keyboard enhancements. If C.O.D. aren’t brutalizing, they’re slipping into more melodic or experimental territory, as in songs like “A Place With No Memories” with a female singer countering main man Ingar’s vicious vocals. Black metal that strives to advance the art.
(B.P. 73, 62930 Wimereux, France)