Given the fact that you're reading this review on this site, I shouldn't even ask what is the first thing you imagine when I use the catchword - Norway. It's too obvious. Some says that the finest days of the second wave are gone, but there are still people who choose to fight side by side with Satan in 90's black-blast-satanic style. NETTLECARRIER are one of these Black Metal centurions, hailing from Oslo, and their new album is called "Black Coffin Ritual".  Album was released on 27th of March 2015 and is their second album. The first, self-titled was released in 2012 .

This is what the fans of the early Norwegian scene expected. The album sounds as if it's taken right out from the olden days of the Norse Black giants. Personally I couldn't stop thinking of TAAKE while listening, and that really brought a smile to my face. You'll find screams, major bar chords and crazy drumming - and they do it in pretty solidly. The two first tracks are the most memorable: The melody in "Bloodmoon" is vivacious and entertaining, which together with the great composition made it my favourite track. "Uten Gud" is much more grim. It starts heavy and rages up to the middle of the song, where the tempo slows; Mannevond screams, and the main melody appears. A great moment of catharsis. I also liked "Noctem Aeternum"; the first chords had me squeezing my armchair. The most raw track of the album, easily.

Bands like these prove that Norway remains the true home of Black Metal. I'm quite surprised the genre, in its olden 90's-styled form, has remained so strong. More and more bands go the direction of more Expermiental/Avant-Garde Black Metal. But it looks like the 90's Black Metal phenomenon is, and remains, immortal thanks to bands like NETTLECARRIER.

And on a side note: NETTLECARRIER's members work together with Erlend Hjelvik from KVELERTAK to form the band DJEVEL, so in case you want more along the same lines by (more or less) the same people, go check 'em out.