I don't think I have ever encountered any band that plays Metal, much less Black Metal, as beautifully and melodically as ORDINUL NEGRU. I'm beginning to think about how many other amazing Black Metal bands I've so ignorantly turned my nose up at because "Black Metal is super depressing" according to Past Me from two years ago. ORDINUL NEGRU's "Faustian Nights" conjures whipping, bitter winds carrying enough frost and snow and lightning clouds to last into the next half century, but there are breaks in the clouds from time to time, and you might even catch a faint glimmer of the sun if you brave the harsh weather and look skywards long enough.

The infamous scrawl of the infernal warning "Abandon all hope, ye who enter" appear before us as we are "Approaching the Door of Damnation". Brows sweat, hearts patter like rabbit feet, the air is thick enough to slice with tension before the door is creaked open, and all of discord comes flying out, screeching. Drum beats flit around like rabid cave bats. Ringing, cavernous guitar riffs are determined to soothe the flying beasts into submission. ORDINUL NEGRU may share the same genre with BURZUM or BATUSHKA, but it's easily apparent that they are taking notes from Melodic Death Metal bands NE OBLIVISCARUS and INSOMNIUM. Indistinct chants haunting the heartbreaking "Killing Tristan", uncivilized snarls complimenting raging fireball drums in the attractively named, "Apocalypse Through a Hierophant's Eye", there is so much to admire about "Faustian Nights".

I can't tell you how many times (this past week) I have played "Oculta Kormos" since it was recently released as a single. Addicting guitar hooks and a stirring fanfare in the middle is obviously part of it. The chorus of "Burn it/Burn the city of Rome" is another reason. "Elder Magik" is a sad dirge of a song whose lyrics sounds like they actually celebrate rather than mourn Autumnus, the great spirit of Fall. ORDINUL NEGRU's revelry for the occult permeates the atmosphere of all of their albums, "Faustian Nights" being no different. With a merciless execution of riffs and waves of roiling percussions, ORDINUL NEGRU are solemn yet brvtal lords in the Black Metal Pantheon.