During the rise of the Second Wave throughout Europe, many countries showed bands and scenes appeared, not only in Norway, Sweden and Greece. One respected name of those days was ABIGOR. Their releases as “Verwüstung/Invoke the Dark Age” (1994), “Orkblut - The Retaliation” and “Nachthymnen (From the Twilight Kingdom)” (both released on 1995) earned them a lot of respect back then, and were important to pave the ways for new Austrian acts on the genre, as THE NEGATIVE BIAS. And here the band is back with its third full length, “The Seven Seals of Saligia”.

As the paragraph above defines, the trio works in a Black Metal trench. It shares resemblances with bands from the 90s who redefined the genre as it is known today: aggressive, harsh and darkened, with excellent instrumental parts and vocals using different tunes during the songs (as some Gregorian-like chants as heard on “Among Dark Suns Incubations”, and some low tuned shrieks). It can be said as an evolved form of traditional Black Metal from the 90s (again: it’s harsh and morbid), with contrasts with deeper landscaping parts, but with some updates that don’t tear apart the classic elements of the genre. All these words are just to say that it’s really excellent to hear such kind of music, done with heart and in an honest way.

The production of the album was done with an idea: to keep the sonority and instrumental tunes in a classic Black Metal form as it is possible. This is why it sounds crude and organic, but if one pay attention, the instrumental tunes were worked in a simple, yet understandable, form. All works perfectly to make it sounds great and classic in the same form. And Saros Collective works as guest on the soundscapes, and what a lovely darkened piece of art on the cover by the hands of Hathrul.

For Black Metal addicted fans, “The Seven Seals of Saligia” is truly an opus diaboli, or in other words, a ‘must have’ album. “Final Abominations of This Barren Earth” brings to the hearers an experience into classic Austrian Black Metal: raw, full of energy and aggressiveness, but based on morbid guitar riffs and arrangements (but pay attention to the tempo changes). And “Among Dark Suns Incubations” is another song with a classic Black Metal appears, with sharp cutting-edge guitars, but pay attention to the ample set of vocals tunes used to make the melodies fit on the right contrasts.

The brutal and massive impact of “Praised by the Nether World” is amazing, because it’s fast and technical in terms of rhythms, with guitars working on the right ambiences, and bass guitar and drums giving the right rhythmic sustain to the song. And the same appears on “Unfolding the Perpetual Gates”, where some extremely catchy moments can be heard (but always using fine contrasts between harsh parts with morbid melodies). As a long song, “Descendant Mankind” is full of tempo changes and contrasts between faster parts and slower moments, with that essential funeral ambience, and what lovely vocals can be heard. “The Wage of Sin is Demise” is on a classic Black Metal trend that shows that MAYHEM and DARKTHRONE lessons were taken seriously (pay attention to the guitar riffs on the beginning of the song), but they do things on their own, daring to create excellent rhythmic shifts. And

the introspective introduction of “The Dystopian Realm of Necrokosm” is another classic Black Metal feature that comes before a darkened storm of aggressiveness and good taste, again with the exposing of the idea that brutality and introspection are two sides of the genre that can’t be denied. It’s not a sin to see “The Seven Seals of Seligia” of one of the finest Black Metal works of the year, and the name of the entity THE NEGATIVE BIAS is strongly recommended for those that are into Black Metal. But any Metal fan will love it as long as you’re a Metalhead, not a fan of specific subgenres.