With this tribute a multi-tude number of underground bands render homage to died Sarmak, the Lycantropy's Spell mastermind. All songs on this compilation are exclusively written 'in memoriam' to Sarmak. Already with the very first run through you will expect: namely rough, pure Black Metal.

As expected is the getting in with Oubliette. Creature of Despair is a very catching piece with simple, constantly hammering drums. The silent guitar plays harmonic melodies which are very atmospheric and mournful. Thereto fits the much distorted witch slight peal underlayed singing.
Otherwise Wolfthrone . Their song is extremely structured dragging and powerful. Guitars and bass are listen rather distinct and differentiated and those slow vocals are deep, warm and guttural so they sometimes drift entirely into the Doom / Death metal niche.
With Hordagaard's Hidden But Not Forgotten follows a very slow melancholic track being raw and strident soundly, however it has powerful features by its emphatic singing and its pressure drumming. About Hordagaard it gives innumerable demo releases and what I know could really not convince - till now. But with this song it totally is different. Hidden But Not Forgotten is a prime sombre Black Metal piece, existing of sluggish passages lined with varied riffing, emphatic and impressive refrain and sporadic fast spans.

Taliesin keeps on this gloomy line with the long song Wraith of the Forest , whereby Taliesin acts more melancholic and sporadically insert discreet keyboards. It is a quiet and right sorrowful song.
Tjern's Sarmak The Solitary Wolf is already at the actual demo Odins´s Son . It also is slow to dragging track with simple depressed melodies and insistent distorted as vigorous singing.
Hereupon follows with Grimlair's Sad Day a short but very mood laden song. It is strident and very raw, besides yet slow and melodic and contains less vocals. But when it listens extremely is distorted and a soft buzzing voice is heard in the background. It is a pity that Sad Day is so short.
San Dottag begins with a strange melody. It sounds a little like you continually gamble away half a tone. That is not correct, because this slow melody repeats several times during this long track. San Dottag is very easy to grasp, constant for long distances and exist more or less of this single and some other melodies as well as a very peculiar singing being more raucous and spoken.
Funeral Forest contributes with Sarmak In The Valhalla an extremely perfect track, possessing a well and distinguished sound, what has not affair by Funeral Forest till now. Sarmak In the Valhalla is a very long track, sobered sluggish and lives of this emphatic vocals as those perfect and diversified melodies that tending occasionally to a soli. An oppressive silence is apt for the Regnum song. This rough, hollow and most slowly song is dismal and suffocating at all. Maybe you should sign it as single tones instead of a melody cause of its slowliness.
With Rabe's Final Fullmoon follows a magnificent raw piece with a certain snotty atmosphere. The slow beat is simple and catching, the drum battery can just be heard in the background. Occasionally a clear, repeating melody is listenable and the loud above all enthroning singing, being mighty distorted and emphatic. It is a simple but very atmospheric song.
Finally concluding the tributes follows the last song of Lycanthropy's Spell itself. It is a long, slow and typical track reminding Lycanthropy's Spell immediately. It is very mournful and right melodic. Those melodious guitars are heard nearly generally, whereby played once easy to grasp, sometimes more playful. At all this song is a sad atmospheric song and for that reason cynically as final track perfect.

This tribute compilation is a very exquisite and impressive thing. Except Abrak all bands can convince in total and another positive issue on this compilation is that those songs are not - as common for tributes - covered titles but own written compositions of each band. Hail to Sarmak is pure underground Black Metal, honouring a worthy musician remembering himself and his deeds.


Aceust

(Translation by: G.P.)

01. Oubliette - Creature of despair
02. Wolfthrone - Personal views of my final existence
03. Hordagaard - Hidden but not forgotten
04. Taliesin - Wraith of the forest
05. Tjern - Sarmak the solitary wolf
06. Grimlair - Sad day
07. Abrek - San dottag
08. Funeral Forest - Sarmak in the Valhalla
09. Regnum - Beklemmende Stille
10. Rabe - Final fullmoon
11. Lycanthropy's Spell - The final song


TAUR-NU-FUIN RECORDS