Greece has a country that helped a lot Black Metal to come back from the dead in the first years of the 90's. It was a time when legends as ROTTING CHRIST, VARATHRON, NECROMANTIA, ZEMIAL and some others created the Hellenic Black Metal, a form that could only be found on those land marked by ancients wars. But the duo HOR is an heir of Greek Black Metal scene, besides the first release of the band, "Exitium", is not so near of what could be called as Greek Black Metal. This album show a band deeply influence by bands from the Norwegian early scene, as DARKTHRONE, MAYHEM, BURZUM, and names from those days when everything came up after years of silence for the genre (it was considered dead), and distant from any Hellenic influence, although it's truly good.

Somber, sinister and darkened, it has a sad melodic charm in some moments, but always bearing a sharp and crude aggressive insight. And the energy that flows from the band's songs is amazing, something that comes only when the work is honest, and not played to fit on anyone ideas. The sound quality of "Exitium" is what a Black Metal album from early years of the SWOBM must have: a crude organic feeling that creates a funereal and morbid ambience, but without causing damages to the songs, or turning the sonority into something fuzzy. It's good as it is, and can be understood easily.

Their musical work is shown by long songs, with the raw and aggressive feeling of "Birth of Tragedy" (the fast parts are filled with very good shrieked voices and nasty guitar riffs), the funeral and weaving darkened melodies of "The Misanthrope" (bass guitar and drums are doing a good work on the rhythm, indeed), with the same elements permeating "Time (A Cold Shadow of Death)" with a tomb ambience; But the 10:57 minutes of "Exitium (Pt.1 Mourning for Sun, Pt.2 Conquering Chaos)" show good contrasts of ideas (due the good guitars), but with a good technique on the rhythmic session. Yes, it's a very good release.

HOR can sound old fashioned to some, but "Exitium" is the kind of album that those who lived in the Black Metal scene in the 90's will love to hear (and to have at home). And I hope it will not be their only release.