Sweden has its fair share of producing some of the best black metal bands on earth. ARMAGEDDA, though quite underground and praised by the elite has to be on that list. Formed in 1999 and terminating their existence as a band in recent years, ARMAGEDDA has managed to have 9 original releases, and 3 more that combine demos, live recordings and cover songs. Their latest release I Am shows up to haunt fans like a ghost. Containing four unreleased tracks that were nearly lost forever, recorded back in 2001 and 2002. It is always pleasing to find these type of releases especially when your favorite band has disbanded.

First off this sounds like it was recorded on a four track in the coldest darkest corner of the basement. Den Skrivna Eskatolgin kicks things off. This is grimmest of the grim, rawest of the raw, and necro as necromantic they come. The muddiest of recordings with the drums fading into the background. No triggers here! Growling vocals of Graav sound similar to Nocturno Culto’s chloroformic throat ripping style. Guitars are played in traditional tremolo picking style, with lots of undistinguishable distortion. Drums gallop along to the beat and sometimes go into that infamous black metal polka tempo. The second song De Vanhelgade has so many time changes I seem to have lost count, though it always comes back to a familiar desolate droning melody. The title track I Am takes on a rather frosty misanthropic turn with its disheartening lyrics and somber guitar chords. As we come to the last track Cold Eon, ARMAGEDDA seems to be under the heavy influence of Darkthrone past… think Ravishing Grimness era. Though badly recorded there is something extra special about these tracks, it’s almost as if we are given a secret key to the underground of Swedish black metal.