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CD: Rossomahaar - Imperium Tenebrarum	Released: 1999
Reviewed By: Saad Aftab (Saad)	Rating: (4/5)

What started out as a one-man project, in 1995, is now a 4 member band. Well 5 actually if you count the lyricist. Rossomahaar was the creation of Lazar. The bands demo "Grotesque" was recorded in 1997 and released in 1999 as an MCD. "Imperium Tenebrarum" was released the same year as the band's demo, and it features 4 new members: Kniaz'(bass player), Herr Stalhammar (lyricist), Ixxaander (guitarist), Sigizmund (drummer), with Lazar playing the guitar, singing and playing the keyboards. Rosomahaar hails from Russia and claim to be one of the first and very few true Russian black metal bands.

"Imperium Tenebrarum" is what I would call technical black metal. The production isn't completely raw nor is it totally slick. It's some where in between (maybe a bit on the slick side), but it's good. The music it’s fast, gloomy, and very original. There’s a lot of keyboarding in this album, but it’s put to good use and blended in well with the guitar. Which is why I call it technical. At times you can’t tell if you’re hearing a guitar riff, or a keyboard. The drumming, guitars, bass, keys, and vocals are all well balanced out throughout the album. My favourite track would have to be "...Of Shadowy Exaltation (When Night Blackens With Storm)". Another stand out track is number 7, "Portals Of Chaos(The Final Transmigration) which is a cover of Metallica’s "The Call of Ktulu" with singing, not an instrumental like the original.The lyrics of are fantasy inspired, so is the cover which depicts a shadowy figure riding a immense black dragon and it’s flying towards a dark castle of some sort. The band mentions that their the lyrics to some songs are based on Lovecraftian mythology.

The best description for this album is technical black metal with a tough of doom. Overall the listening experience is great, but you have to be in the right mood to fully enjoy what "Imperium Tenebrarum" offers. The only downpoint is that some of the songs sound too similar at some parts and it's hard to tell which track you're listening to. But that's only when you're not full concentrating. I would recommend this to metalheads who enjoy very atmospheric, dark and grim music. But if you only listen to "tr00" raw bm then you might not appreciate "Imperium Tenebrarum".

Rossomahaar's lateast album Quaerite Lux In Tenebris was released this year. Visit these links for more info:

www.rusmetal.ru/rossomahaar (Official site)

http://www.mourningtheancient.com/ross.htm (An interview)