TAÄR is a nostalgic, warlike black metal band which is heavily influenced heavily by the 90s underground scene. It's a combination of aggressive vocals, sharp guitar riffs and fast blast beats, evoking the atmosphere of ancient battles. Members of TAÄR also contribute to the intense creativity of Anticreation, Burial Hordes, and Katafalk. The upcoming debut album "Catharsis Till Dawn" is their first strike of kaos and is nothing but a raw and carnal fire storm of true black metal heresy.” The album has nine songs. “Celestial Carnage” is first. It storms out of the gate with a fairly traditional Black Metal sound…a wall of guitars, powerful drumming, harrowing elements, and harsh vocals that sting with a bite.

“Feathered Echoes of Wrath” has an even more explosive sound and it comes at you like a freight train running at top speed. It’s straight aggression, and intensity, and not much else. “Perpetual Descent” is the first song with some variation away from the intense first few tracks, and this time, it focuses on the bleaker and more desolate side of the genre. So far, however, the band hasn’t ventured off the path too far, and that is evident by their statement of 90’s influenced Black Metal. “At Depths of Damnation” is another deeply aggressive song, with a pace that is so fast, it creates a trail of smoke behind the flames.

“Undead’s Turn” has a slower pace where the power of the band is more evident, but again, they aren’t winning many awards for diversity or originality. “Where Death Stalks Its Prey” is deeper, and darker, and like the pale faced rider, Death always finds his victims. Their intensity is really unmatched, but they aren’t playing much outside of the boundaries. “The Impaler’s Triumph” is another slower paced song, and the riffs hold steady, blasting through concrete with the power of a giant’s fist. “Catharsis Till Dawn” closes the album, and is a curious instrumental with spoken words, in ritualistic fashion.

In today’s Black Metal scene, more and more bands venture outside of the early genre boundaries, and newer fans find that pleasing. There are also genre purists, who prefer that the band’s stick within the fences, and that is the album that we have here. They don’t lack talent, and it was a solid release, but it just didn’t offer much distance or distinguish with their peers.