New Zealand is a small country, with an even smaller metal community, but what we lack in numbers we make up for in a diverse range of excellent metal acts; EXORDIUM MORS, active since 2004, are no exception. They spew forth an occult firestorm or Black, Thrash and Death that is just technical and brutal as it is meaningful and mature; their frontman Scourge often appearing in a crimson-red cultist robe. Their latest EP, "Sacrifice, Perish and Demise" is a modern take on blackened thrash, and each track is not short of hellishly brutal riffage.

"Sign of Judas' Liege" opens the release with a jarringly fast and technical riff pounded through with expertly-smashed blast-beats which dominates this 6 minutes of devil-spawned metal massacre. The demonic vocals of Scourge Witchfvkker range from GORGOROTH-like screeches to boiling and bubbling utterances akin to that of IMMORTAL. A shift in style marks "Ancestor's Call" which strives to attain a pedestal of epic and monumental, that is frantically snatched back underground by hell's tendrils, and the song is left boiling in fel lava amidst a tribal drum and guitar riff. Titled after the band, "Exordium Mors" draws in extra black metal influences in the intro and tramples forth on a blisteringly thrashy riff, marked by stunted vocal screeches; soon we hear the heaviest and most brutal riff destruction found on the release; if it isn't enough, a lightning solo that slices through heaven's armies dominates. Finally, a respectful cover of VENOM's eponymous "Black Metal" is found, professionally reflected with a grim, Kiwi twist; the quintet could not have picked a better choice of cover for such a release.

EXORDIUM MORS are a band I hope will further prosper within our relatively tiny metal scene and most definitely deserve to go places with their stunning, ferocious brand of extreme Metal; I know from experience they are already a captivating and powerful live act, and I strongly anticipate their debut release.