Eskatol
Blodørn
Kjepp Kjappesens Raske Skiver

It's a safe bet that if you were to check a thesaurus entry for the word "furious" one of the synonyms you'd find would be Eskatol. This Oslo six-piece is one of the few bands out there who have successfully managed to marry all-out hardcore aggression with metal technicality and melody to create an astounding body of work that sounds as if the two subgenres were made for each other. It's not often that this works but, by hell, it does this time! Best examples are evident on the likes of "Feierferd", "Med knyttet hånd", and "Hellig system" with their pure metal melodies and leads, touching on a math metal complexity in places and, above all, encrusted in an extreme hardcore angst that furnishes the album with integrity and passion. It's clear that Eskatol are a genuine band far from the confines of pandering to an audience or contriving a unique sound. Yes, their sound is unique, but the fact that it plays out so naturally shows just how authentic these guys are. There's an unbridled intensity on display here and, with only three of the fourteen songs clocking in at the 3:00+ mark, it's clear that there's a heck of a lot going on within each tune. It must be said that, as with most hardcore-based albums, "Blodørn" does have a few moments where there's repetition in the air. Thankfully, these moments are very few and far between on this. Crust, hardcore, death metal, melodic metal: Eskatol have all corners of the extreme covered. And for those of you who like your music extreme, Eskatol have you covered!
- John Norby