Metal Temple Review

By: Marcos “The Jungle Guy” Garcia
Sept 5th 2013

VON - Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves Album Review

At the rise of the second Black Metal wave, some names really had a grip on some bands of that generation, including the North American pioneers of VON, who influenced many fans from Scandinavian bands, even DARK FUNERAL made a version of one of their songs in their “The Secrets of the Black Arts”. But even with this importance, they entered hiatus from 1992 (the beginning of the second advent of Black Metal) to 2010, when they got back, and finally released a full length in 2012, “Satanic Blood”. And with no time to loose, these Black Metal heroes come back with their new album, “Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves”.No, forget about a way-clean music, with beautiful arrangements. This is VON, so it means that you all can expect a very morbid and simple music, darker and heavy as Hell, and raw to the bone, reminding acts like Finnish “BEHERIT”, Canadian “BLASPHEMY”, and Brazilian “SARCÓFAGO”. The vocals are way “guttural” and “from-the-depths”, guitar riffs are very simple, as well as bass and drums do the same way. But the way the band does their sound is the way it really catches us all.

As said above, their music is way too simple, but along with the oppressive brutality and darkened tempos, it’s the key to make their sound great, with a very raw and harsh production, done by VENIEN himself, having Andrew Ragin mixing their work, and John Gray mastering. It’s really murky, but that is how Black Metal is.

Nine tracks of a severe heart attack to the weak awaits us all, some being giants with more than 10 minutes, others very short, but the band hits the bull’s-eye in songs like “Hands of Black Death” (a very slow and morbid songs, with some incredible riffs), the short and fast “Dark Gods” (hear as the guitar evolves along, creating a darkened felling), and in this same way is “DevilWhore”, the oppression made music called “iAmInHuMan” (with some great grunts, with good mid tempos), and the funereal “Black Eyes”. The other ones are fine pieces as well.An album made for the Black Metal fans that miss a lot the underground years between 1992 and 1996, and to others who like a more raw sound.

(Source: metal-temple.com)

VON - Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves (Open Edition) (Digital Album)

vVurMzflessshhh Publishing

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Cat/Sku#: VR D0009 Artist: VON Title: Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves (Open Edition) (Digital Album) Volume: Dark Gods Vol.I Audio Format: Digital Publisher/Distributor: Von Records (USA) Digital Release Date: 2013 Read more

1

They Have Come (Digital Edition) 3:23

0:00/3:23
2

Ancient Flesh of The Dark Gods Feat. D & C (Coffinworm) (Digital Edition) 10:09

0:00/10:09
3

Hands of Black Death (Digital Edition) 6:14

0:00/6:14
4

Dark Gods (Digital Edition) 2:59

0:00/2:59
5

MONSTER! (Digital Edition) 5:32

0:00/5:32
6

RawRot (Digital Edition) 7:40

0:00/7:40
7

DevilWhore (Digital Edition) 6:02

0:00/6:02
8

iAmInHuman (Digital Edition) 6:03

0:00/6:03
9

Black Eyes (Digital Edition) 6:07

0:00/6:07

vvurmzflessshhh publishing

VON - Dark Gods: Seven Billion Slaves (Open Edition) (Digital Album)

vVurMzflessshhh Publishing