OLD MAN'S CHILD - Ill-Natured Spiritual Invasion LP (Ulltra Clear Vinyl)

2022 press limited to 125 copies. Ultra clear.

Tired of the same old “melodic black metal” that’s been running though your ears for a decade now? Wanting something more technical, enslaving, well constructed? This is what you’re looking for! Information has reached me that tells of the haste this album was put together in. Supposedly, all music and lyrics was made kinda on-the-fly. This is very hard to believe, since it’s by far the most thought-through album they ever made. The progression the title refers to lies in both sound and song-writing. As the mixing always has (in my eyes at least) been a problem with this band, it’s good that they finally got it together, and while the song-writing on its predecessor had quite a few glitches, it all fits together here. Power is the key-word, and they deliver it

The pace usually restricts itself to mid-tempo, but on some occasions they go beyond that. “God of Impiety” is quite a fast song, but this track causes a big dilemma for me. Listen to the guitar melody. Isn’t that the same melody Stratovarius used for their famous song “Black Diamond”? Well, so what? It fits here. “My Evil Revelations” features nice drum-work and weird tempo overall, and reminds me a little of “Towards Eternity”. The point is that all fits together well in almost every song.