For this band I am sure that I don't have to make any introductions. Naer Mataron, after all these years in the metal scene, fairly enough could be nominated with the title of one of Greece's most important Black Metal bands. Their new cold and purely Black Metal release, Discipline Manifesto, is exactly what people were expecting from this great band.
Naer Mataron came to light in 1994 by Morpheas and Lord Alatoth. Together they released their first demo, The Awakening Of The Ancient Greece and in 1997 the promo-tape The Great God Pan. Some lineup changes took place when Lord Alatoth was kicked out and Kaiadas and Lethe stepped in. The same year they participated in a Tribute To Bathory covering Equimanthorn. The first release of Naer Matraron in 1998, Up From The Ashes, gained a lot of good reaction. But with their second release, Skotos Aenaon, they created a big number of devoted fans. This CD was also a sold-out release. In 2003 Lethe is was replaced by Warhead. With a new lineup the band gave, propably, the best live performance of their career, ever, together with Rotting Christ and Horrified, in Athens. In 2004 Nordvargr (MZ412) entered the band's ranks as a basic member. The success of the band was so big that Black Lotus Records re-released the first two albums on a double CD entitled Awaken In Oblivion. One of the most important events of the year was the show they gave at Thessaloniki supporting the Swedish band Dissection.
The recordings of Discipline Manifesto took place in Athens and in Oslo, Norway. Naer Mataron recorded with Vicotnik (Ved Buens Ende, Dodheimsgard), Carl-Michael (Ved Buens Ende, Aura Noir) and Apollyon (Aura Noir, Lamented Souls) and the new masterpiece was mixed and mastered in Norway at Skrekk&Skru and Strype Audio (Arcturus, Borknagar, 1349, Winds) by Tom Kvelsvoll (Nocturnal Breed).
In this release we're dealing with a pure Black Metal release. Naer Mataron do not intend to soften their sound as most of the Black Metal bands do after a few releases, but in Discipline Manifesto they seem to be more aggressive and faster. The first song, Extreme Unction, a nine-minute composition, everything seems to be included. Slow parts, up-tempo melodies, incredible blast beats and devastating Black Metal vocals. The track is very big and is suitable for all the alternations it includes. Most of the tracks are characterized by a sequence of different musical elements which in fact makes the music quite interesting. The intros of some songs (Extreme Unction, For The New Man, The Last Royal) are depressing, in a way, and you couldn't possibly wait for such quick Black Metal raging rhythms coming up. The growls of Morpheas during the entire album remind me of classic Norwegian Black Metal bands.
Naer Mataron is one of the few bands that manage to keep the dark atmosphere that Black Metal ought to create. They preserve the coldness of true Black Metal. They don't care about being mainstream or symphonic (in contradiction to a lot of Black Metal bands). This is a very good release and a 'must have' for those who admire these kinds of bands.
- Album Highlights: Blessing of Sin, Arrival Of The Caesar, Blast Furnace and Extreme Unction.