The Kovenant

In Times Before the Light (Hammerheart)
by Scott Hefflon

In times before they went industrial metal, The Kovenant were an industrially-noisy Norwegian black metal band. This is the band’s ’95 debut, but it’s been so reworked and remixed (with new artwork) that it sounds fantastic. A little thin and dated in places (good thing about retro-style bands is they leave the stuff that tanked behind) with goofy “oh oh” backgrounds and manic hyperblasts that, ya know, Dimmu Borgir (Nagash’s alter-ego started this concept band) and Emperor and the rest outgrew after a while, but still, In Times Before the Light is a majestic slab of surgical-strike hatred, brimming with madness and cool effects.
(www.hammerheart.com)