NUSQUAMA is a new Black Metal band from the Netherlands. They have a very mysterious image, much like the members of UADA and MGLA, so finding any information about them proved to be very challenging. "Horizon Ontheemt" is the band's debut album.

"De Aarde Dorst" is a great track featuring beautiful elements of Black Metal; gothic-sounding guitar riffs, howls of rage from the vocalist and an intense beat overlying a subtle yet dark bass line. It's a thoroughly enjoyable song and one of my favorites as well. "Wrevel" is similar to the opening track and another good example of how modern Black Metal should sound. It picks up in intensity as it plays only to slow down again about midway through. While it is good, it's not quite as moving as the first song on the album. "Vuurslag" starts out with a nice melodic tone that reminds me a great deal of many classic Finnish Black Metal songs that I've heard. There are plenty of odd, yet compelling down-tuned guitar riffs as well as almost disembodied wails of anguish and fury to please even the most dour of Black Metal fans. There's also an interesting bridge within the song that focuses on a single guitar; it starts out very low and acoustic before becoming a full-blown solo which is punctuated by the vocalist's cries and howls. I love this song!

 "Eufrozyne," "Ontheemd," and "Met Gif Doordrenkt" are also extremely good, especially when you consider that this is NUSQUAMA'S first album. Each track has the elements that fans expect from modern Black Metal; dark emotions, mysticism and powerful music which can also be very subtle, all combined with an extreme range of vocals that demand your attention. Some people would be quick to compare the band's sound to both UADA and MGLA, which is perfectly fair. The band does sound quite a bit like them, but that is not a bad thing. It simply proves that the genre has evolved yet again into something that suits the time it belongs to. NUSQUAMA is an offspring of modern Black Metal. Perhaps they will also help to evolve the sound as they become a more experienced band, or at least I'd like to think so. At any rate, I look forward to hearing more music from them in the future; I'm sure you will, too.