Review: Under The Sign Of Hell 2011 | Gorgoroth

Reviewed By Kallol Bordoloi-

Norwegian Black Metal giants Gorgoroth re-released their Under The Sign of Hell album from 1997  titled, "Under The Sign of Hell 2011" which on my part was a needless effort on their part. The production ( evidently by drummer Tomas Asklund) is mediocre to say the least!

The 1997 release which had some amazing guitar melodies by Infernus goes sleeping in this reproduction as does the sheer raw power and soul we can associate with in BM. The tracklisting remains the same which includes eight tracks in all-
1. Revelation Of Doom
2. Krig
3. Funeral Procession
4. Prefetens Apenbaring
5. Шdeleggelse og Undergang
6. Blood Stains The Circle
7. The Rite Of Infernal Invocation
8. The Devil Is Calling

The new release doesn't include the track 'Postludium' from the original which is not much of a concern because it was more of an Interlude, though I would not know if it paid any significance in the original.

Well, what went wrong to this epic of an album from 1997 which had something as good as the solo in "The Rite Of Infernal Invocation' and the song lasting for over six and quarter of a minute( though towards the end it was all 'hush-hush' noise )? The very solo from the above mentioned song went missing.
You need more?
The guitar tones and the production in this album unlike the '97 release ( which at first would take time to handle, but later grows on you)  is mediocre (again)!
The new album lacks the zeal in guitar playing which Infernus had in the previous release!
The track Blood Stains The Circle which originally had some clean vocals and very melodious ones at that are replaced by regular BM vocals in the reproduction, which let an avid fan of these guys like me down!
Though Gorgoroth did not try much to change anything else on the album, we can hope that by going back to the kind of music they produced back in their prime, they come out with a better record!
The present line -up includes Pest on Vocals, Infernus on guitars,Tomas Asklund on drums.
It was mixed and mastered By Tomas Asklund and as far as I have the idea about production, for a BM band, this is just not it! No matter what the new-age tech may bring about, the atmosphere created by a BM album is definitely the very soul of it, and UTSOH2011 fails to deliver on that!!

Here is hoping, Infernus would deilver us in the next album with the Gorgoroth we all know and love!

Ave -Satanas!