ATANOR are a new band from the cold vastness of Russia. The occult-themed music is as cold as winters in their home country, in the style of CULTES DE GHOULES. The four tracks surge with intensity and work hard to convey the band's dark vision.

The vocals range from anguished moans to gravelly rasps. They convey something ancient, something not quite human. One such moan opens "Storm of Black Fire" - I knew that this would be the kind of black metal which is more like Dante's descent into the horrifying world of hell, and not like a hike through serene mountains. I particularly liked the powerful vocal performance on "Mystical Rays of Darkness".

While black metal isn't known for clean production, there still seems to be a fine line between a raw sound and not being able to distinguish the musicians' parts. That balance is achieved here, and so I was able to appreciate the guitars, bass and drums along with the vocals. The drummer shows his prowess on "Storm of Black Fire" with some entertaining drum fills. Another highlight performance for me was on "Revelations". Overall, his work is precise yet has the fury of a sudden storm. Lastly, the resonance of the drums adds to the atmosphere of the album. And adding to the solid rhythm section are bass parts which rumble in the distance like thunder.

The repeating guitar motif on "Storm of Black Fire" lends a sense of inevitability; there's no stopping this oncoming storm. The track doesn't get stale though, thanks to well-timed changes in tempo. "Revelations" also makes use of some interesting changes, while a variation in the overall pace of the tracks also serves to keep things interesting. The main riff on "Mystical Rays of Darkness" induced me to headbang as I listened.

This is a solid debut from a band which seems to have a clear idea of the direction they want their music to head in. I'm intrigued enough by the offerings presented on "Atanor" to want to hear more of their work.