THE DEATHTRIP is a British-Scandinavian project around Thine guitarist Paul Groundwell (here under the pseudonym Host) and of late Hexvessels Matt McNerney (alias Kvohst).
Demon Solar Totem follows the 2014 debut Deep Drone Master (back then with Aldrahn of Thorns, Urarv, Dodheimsgard etc.) and continues the style of the debut just in a more sophisticated way. That means, on Demon Solar Totem true Norwegian old school Black Metal of the first hours reigns.
Already the debut was a fast-paced piece of music that offered a very own frosty atmosphere of Norwegian Black Metal. And so does Demon Solar Totem. It sounds hardly better than horribly clanking demo/rehearsal room tapes but I guess that was intended.
THE DEATHTRIP sound nasty, primitive and ice-cold, yet hide wonderful melodies and icy atmospheres in every song. And there is Matt McNerney. He is an outstanding singer and insists on alternating his nasty nagging with his unique clean choral-like vocals. Perhaps, Deep Drone Master was faster and more biting, many credit Aldrahn for. To me, Demon Solar System especially scores due to the singing of Matt McNerney.
Great record for fans of original Norwegian Black Metal and who are fed up with all that recent occvlt and woozy stuff. Oh, by the way… raucous and puristic lo-fi sound, is ok, but there is no need to paste and shroud everything with delay and reverb.