Given my current renaissance of affection for split releases over the past few months or so, Deathiah Manifesto looked interesting at the start, being a melding of Polish (now UK) blackguards BLACK ALTAR and Norway’s equally profane VULTURE LORD. The styles of blackness from both countries are identifiable almost at first listen, yet I’ve found them often in at least aesthetic camaraderie, giving me hope that the few moments to come won’t be wasted.

With its last full-length arriving in 2008 and only three other splits and an EP to show for the past decade, BLACK ALTAR has more to prove here, and that two of its four tracks are an “Intro” and “Outro”, this ups the stakes even more. In all fairness, the aforementioned intro track isn’t that annoying as intros go, but it’s with ‘Sacrilegious Congregation’ begins to spill the blood. Typically treble-heavy in the strings, Shadow’s guttural yet understandable vocal attack rides above the storm. While I could do without the wolf howl in the midst of an otherwise well-placed bridge [2:15-2:44] that reveals the oft’ unheard melodic element to the band, it’s worth mentioning only for its existence, and doesn’t detract largely from the success of the tune itself. As for ‘Nyx’, this is BLACK ALTAR at its most feral in years, elements of a slightly less spaced-out DODSFERD coming to the fore around 1/3rd of the way through.

Cardboard drum heads feature prominently in VULTURE LORD’s ‘Dominios Of Death’, but I’ll tell you right fuggin’ now this doesn’t diminish the rabid ravishment the Norwegian infantry inflicts upon thine hearing. Moments of Sweden’s NIFELHEIM, Brazil’s VULCANO can be heard, same as throughout this section. Much more overtly old-school than BA, the black ‘n’ roll riffwork in ‘Hark! The Hymns Of War’ is exquisitely filthy, while ‘Bloodstained Ritualknives’ rips the lid off of Purgatory, releasing tormented souls to seek revenge.

Not perfect by a long chalk – would’ve removed the Intro/Outro from BLACK ALTAR in lieu of another single full song, etc., – but equally as far from trash, Deathiah Manifesto is what all good splits should be; what we have here is a taste of both bands involved firing on all cylinders.
Review By: Lord Randall

BLACK ALTAR / VULTURE LORD
Deathiah Manifesto
Odium Records
3.5 / 6