You can tell that war-like aggression and brutality are high on a band's list of priorities when included in several of the pre-order packages for an album is a limited edition band machete. That's the kind of band we're dealing with with here: MOR DAGOR.

The fifth full length album from this German 5-piece is completely unrelenting. Inspired by Swedish Black and Death Metal, this is an album that grabs you by the throat from the moment it begins, and doesn't stop shouting and crushing till all that surrounds it is laid to waste.

The extreme violence of the Black and Death Metal which is on offer here doesn't need to be listened to, the song titles themselves give enough of an idea... "Industrial Homicide", "God of Gods, Destroyer of Worlds", "Field of Demise", all sound like pretty war-like to me.

Musically, the band are all  talented, the riffs keep on coming, and the furious blast beats from the drums are at an incredible speed to be kept up for any length of time. The album's sound is incredible. Massive and full, "Redeemer" requires a large amount of volume to be enjoyed to the full (because, let's face it, Metal like this is made to be played at obnoxiously loud volumes, and often). Vocally, Schmied's vocals consist of a mix of standard Black and Death metal; low down growls and higher screams. However there is a lot more clarity than many vocalists in the way that he projects, meaning that understanding the lyrics is occasionally possible.

Highlight of the album for me is undoubtedly the epic "God of Gods, Destroyer of Worlds". The sheer speed and aggression, coupled with a concept based in Eastern Mythologies, and a monstrously fast riff, this song is also the longest on the album by quite a long way.

Overall, this is an incredibly violent album, with some great moments. Although the sheer relentlessness of the pace wears thin before the end.