When one thinks of USBM, two names often come to mind; NACHTMYSTIUM or, perhaps more appropriately, ABSU and ANAGNORISIS. Far removed from their Norwegian or Swedish brothers, VERMORD play a strain of Black Metal that is heavily steeped in Old School Death Metal, not so dissimilar to the direction of the latest MAYHEM album (strangely enough). "Dawn Of The Black Hearts" is the first professionally recorded piece of material from the band whom, I might add, range from 16-19 years old; and yet, it comes across as being performed and recorded by hardened veterans.

Opened by "Disciples of Shakhburz", an eerie, almost retro Synth piece that could have come from Warcraft 2, 5 monstrous outputs of Pure Fvkkin Metal follow. "Plagued Eyes from the Scrolls of Xafmirtas" opens "Dawn..." with a pummelling, aggressive and technical series of evolving riffs, the embodiment of how to make a proper first impression, a statement, with bombastic chord progressions leaving the track to sometimes hang on a tether, and embellished with vicious and vitriolic screams that are woven into the tapestry instead of plastered on it. "Ophite Cultus Satanas" carries on the same adventurous bass lines, heard even under the thick of the guitar, from the previous track, but is one hell of a creative step up. Not simply a rush of grumpy and aggressive minor chords, but containing some of the most adventurous and creative chord progressions I have ever heard, "Ophite" is easily the greatest example of riffery that this EP has to offer.

"Encrimsoned Baptism", not just a badass title, is what you can expect from archetypal Blackened Death Metal, without all of the fancy, edgy, Satanic and kvlt finery, creating a Death Metal sound that is, simply put, heavier, muddier and grittier. Chuck in a few ABORTED vocals at the end and you have the best song on the EP, and one of the most intense tracks to come out of this year's so-far pooling of Extreme Music. "Derodidymus" is easily the EP's fastest and most aggressive piece, interestingly omitting any and all Black Metal vibes and presenting itself as nearly 4 minutes of unrestrained, frenetic, technical Death Metal with adventurous bass lines and leads all over the show. "Dark Harvest" stamps the release with words like "epic" and "bombastic", with riffs that don't crush you so much as they do drown you.

To be able to come up with something like this, having only just come into the scene is, quite frankly, unheard of.