Covenant – “Nexus Polaris”

Nagash (vox/bass), Blackheart (guitars), Astennu (guitars), Hellhammer (drums), Svard (piano/synth) and Sarah (choruses), compose this all-star band featuring members from so notorious bands such as Cradle of Filth, Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir and Arcturus. Taking in consideration the members’ musical background you can easily guess what lies behind the precious album’s cover designed by living legend Andreas Marschall. And you are 99% likely to be right at your divination: melodyc sympho dark-black metal in the vein of Old Man’s Child or Borknagar. After the reasonablely acclamated demo “From The Storm Of Shadows” released in 1994 and two years waiting for the publication of their first CD through british label Mordgrimm, now Nuclear Blast allows them to edit their highly technical, non-brutal yet aggressive Metal style, a style adorned with several touches of classic 80s’ Heavy Metal influences (mostly in the solos), orchestral arrangements (as in “Dragonheart”), grandiloquent female background choruses (as in “Planetary Black Elements” or “Chariots of Thunder”) and beautiful piano lines (as in “Bizarre Cosmic Industries”). If your fave bands are Suffocation or Immolation you won’t like this CD, but if you love Old Man’s Child or Borknagar then “Nexus Polaris” is a highly recommendable album.