Medieval Demon – Medieval Necromancy

Band: Medieval Demon
Title: Medieval Necromancy
Country: Greece
Label: Hells Headbangers Records
Release date: 22 June 2018
Format reviewed: High quality digital promo

Medieval Demon is a symphonic Black Metal Band from Athens, Greece. Founded in the early nineties as a part of the rising Greek scene led by the legendary Rotting Crist. Medieval Demon will naturally find their place among the numerous runner ups. In my tape trading days, I remember getting their Night of the Infernal Lords Demo (1994) and Promo 95 together on a pretty bad tape copy of a copy of a copy!?!? Though the sound was bad on that tape, I played it a lot until it vanished into oblivion. These guys know how to create the atmosphere I`m always nagging about in BM. They ceased to exist in 1998, reforming in 2013. Led by the founding members and brothers Kostas and Alex Karras. Apart from a compilation CD in 2010, containing early recordings, this is the first new offering since the debut album, Demonolatria released in 1998.

What has happened during these 20 years?

Nothing, in the sense that Medieval Demon is creating Black metal like they did way back. Focus is on atmosphere before technical wizardry, not to say that they are lacking in talent or skills, they just focus on creating music.

This album starts with Chtonic Curses, an 8 minutes epic song, including intro and outro. Choir, classic guitar, raw haunting vocals, old school riffing, this song has it all…

Spells of The Akkadian Priest is next, a small drop down, after an epic start. But only by an inch, this is the soundtrack to a pretty disturbing movie not in theaters anywhere near you, just in your head.

Invincible Black Ritual is another mid-tempo killer, this is a strong contender to my favorite on this album. The variations, changes in tempo, some really fast riffing from time to time, to be played loud.

Les Litanies De Satan is a piano track with female prayers/ chanting. Kind of a filler, but ads to the total experience of the album.

Moldy Wings of Death continues the BM tradition before Ancient Evil in The Woods kicks off, another classic track.

Blackmoon Sacrifice is another stand out track, lots of things happening here. Impossible not to hear a bit of Rotting Crist in this, but also some early Scandinavian BM. Love this track.

Into the Caves of Blood, is where things go a tad overboard. When it is good, it is really good. But that guitar solo is way off, and lasting way to long. Did someone break into the studio to do some 80` glam?

Title track Medieval Necromancy, MD is back on track, Classic & Epic.

Closing is The Great He Goat, an outro much in the same vein as Les Litanies De Satan midway through.

This album could easily have been released in the mid-nineties, to release such an album 2018 is real treat to those who want new blood in their old school collection. Not knowing why, they went into hiatus 20 years ago, it is a shame they did not continue. Luckily the flame of Black Metal is still burning in these guys, and Medieval Demon is haunting us again.

Production-vice it sounds recorded in cave, but caves have better equipment today and the sound is in BM-terms, crystal clear. You get all the details, but the overall atmosphere is not overshadowed by technical brilliance. Medieval Demon delivers a complete album, meant to be played from start to finish. 3 highlights’ in my opinion is Chthonic Curses, Invincible Black Ritual & Blackmoon Sacrifice, but play it in full. 8/10 Harald

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