Black Metal band SUMMON was one of the first American bands in the genre, at a time when the landscape was dominated by Glam and the rise of Death Metal; with Grunge on the horizon. Formed in 1991, the release a Demo in '95 called "Fire Turns Everything Black." What we have here today is a reissue of their debut full-length, "Dark Descent of Fallen Souls," which contains eleven tracks.

"Intro (Dark Descent of Fallen Souls)" follows at first a haunting and mesmerizing keyboard melody that descends down a chord pattern, with rumbles of thunder in the background. Soon a raw and earthly sound ensues, with vocal shrieks and a fast moving energy. When you think of the timeframe here of the original release date, you realize you are listening to a proto-type of this genre in its early years. "Eve of Anti-Creation" however also reminds you that that sound was not fully developed at this time, as some of the guitars are still riffing in Death and Black Metal arenas. More specifically, that "wall of sound" is more of a barrier at this point.

"Beyond the Gates of Storm" has that hypnotic dirge in the beginning sequence, like witnessing a series of ritual killings at the hand of a nefarious beast, in service with Satan. It's pretty chaotic from there but does follow some linear riffing that changes along the way. "Midtro" is like a mid-album rest of sorts. Chilling winds howl as a solitary bell rings in the background, and fuzzy and low (bass guitar?) notes that hint at something evil to come. "Under the Midnight Shadows" it is. What lurks in the darkness that you cannot see? If you allow your mind to wander, this would be a good song in that exercise. "Tales of Immortality" features blast beat drumming and agonizing vocal screams, along with some lead guitar pyrotechnics. Sometimes there is bot of a rhythmic disconnect but I think this only adds to the style of music here and for the time.  "Sorrows of Moonless Night" has back-and-forth patterns of slow, methodical blood draining from an incubus, and fast moving passages where the blood spills and splatters in a chaotic pattern.

"Outro" closes the album; a two-minute re-visit of some of the earlier ambient sounds that cap off that spooky feeling. When you think of the origins of Black Metal, especially the United States, you would have to consider this debut full-length from SUMMON as one of the early pioneers of this style. The album has all the elements that you would expect; a healthy disregard for religion and conformity, an embracement of the darkness of this world and the next, and a punishing display of rhythms to satiate the beast inside you.