Sometimes referred to as "The fugitive serpent" and "The mighty one with seven heads," LOTAN is a sea monster similar to the leviathan. Credited with the origin of chaos, this terrifying, unmerciful beast has gone by various names in countless languages. But there's a brutal force of destruction in our modern age that also goes by the name LOTAN. This one, however, brings with it ruthless, melodic black metal.

Hailing from Denmark, the band was created by Phillip Kaaber and Martin Rubini of VANIR.  LOTAN delivers a five-track full assault album that never fails to unleash aggressive riffs and never holds back on the vocals' savageness.

"Wolfpack" opens the record with a vengeance, leading the way with spectacular drum work and fierce distortion. A full spectrum of classic black metal and furious thrash aggression layers in with vivid imagery. A hint of doom metal is present at a well-executed change-up, which offers the listener a different distortion option on the vocals.

"Acta Non Verba" opens with n intense intro that quickly leads into brutally overdriven groove metal with harsh melodic details. The guitar delivers a punishing mix of thrashing riffs while the bass offers a consistent chug. This song gives a clear nod to power and traditional metal without allowing it to overtake the track.

Giving an additional nod to traditional metal while showing a pension for groove metal, the third track, "Deus Mortuorum," is a wealth of melody-driven rage. LOTAN's lyrical writing talent is apparent on this track, as it's clear they are inspired by spiritualism and knowledgeable while conveying a sense of passion toward their convictions.

On "Tenebrae Subit," the listener is initiated with an airy thunderstorm just before the drums blast in. Commanding attention, the unexpected classic rock inspired drums offer a wealth of texture to the listener. The track successfully showcases a cache of metal elements that voyage into many realms, including thrash, death, black and symphonic metal.

The final track of "Nihil Sacrum," "Pulvis Et Umbra Sumus," pulls the band's death and thrash metal influences together with doom and sludge metal to create an otherworldly feel. Taking on grave and dark subject matter, the vocals match the lyrics' intensity. This layered infusion creates a finely blended bit of atmospheric mystery. The demonic doom-esque backing vocals are not only haunting but work superbly in tandem with the battery of drums.

Lasse Guldbæk of ABSCISSION and VANIR, Christian Haystack of FALL OF PANTHEON and ETHEREAL KINGDOMS, and Jon Smith, also of ETHEREAL KINGDOMS, will be accompanying Kaaber and Rubiniat live events making LOTAN a live black metal act well worth the wait.