"Mysteries of the Nocturnal Forest" is a reissue of EVILFEAST's debut full-length.  Eisenwald again must be commended for propagating true quality Black Metal.  Though this is a reissue, it rises from this year's seemingly bottomless well of killer Polish Black Metal.  It is a fitting time to put this back out because this year marks the band's twentieth anniversary.

"Ode to a Rising Fullmoon," the first track, manages to capture that classic mid-1990s atmospheric instrumental feel.  One is transported to a lonely mountain upon which the full moon brightly shines, illuminating the midnight sky.  It is tasteful, free of pseudo-Goth pretension, and not over-indulgent.  The following track, "Immerse into Cold Mist," makes it immediately clear how accurately-performed the tone is overall.  The guitars are intense and raw, scratching away at the skin of the song while the vocals rant and rave with fury and hatred.

Thus far, the fourth track, "Towards the Funeral Winternight Landscape," is the strongest track (and proves to be overall).  The conviction put into the songwriting is evident in the delivery.  There are plenty of dazzling riffs throughout as well showcasing a fully stocked arsenal of ideas from which GrimSpirit draws.  "Morbid Rejoice," the eighth track, explodes from the first note.  The fury with which the chords are attacked is spellbinding for the notes are ever moving and flawless.  The keyboard provides adequate reinforcement.  The melodies are overwhelming yet concisely digestible.

The key word here is atmosphere.  Like SUMMONING or CALADAN BROOD, the music relays its own narrative while allowing the listener to bask in the setting.  The keyboards do not overpower the other instruments, and the production is raw enough to fit into the genre yet still high quality in its delivery.  The guitar tone retains the chainsaw feel and could be compared to that of EMPEROR's on "In the Nightside Eclipse".  Organically, the drums rumble underneath though it would complement the music to turn up the bass drum.  The vocals are traditionally true, conveying emotions from deep-seated hatred to solitary, despondent, lonely depression.

The scene has been done a favor with this reissue.  Hopefully, Black Metal fans will be made aware of the powerfully haunting nature of this music.  It really is like the musical equivalent of reading an absorbing novel as one gets lost in it easily.  Ultimately, one feels that rewarding fatigue after returning from a long trip when finished listening to this album.