Maximum Metal Rating Legend

Manngard - Circling Buzzards - 2006 - Candlelight Records

Track Listing1. Wreathed In Rot 2. Safe With Me 3. Gravgrang 4. Tomb Of God 5. Bury The Head 6. Unattainable Fuck 7. Into The Quagmire 8. It Was Demons 9. Blood On My Face

This is an interesting release with a bit of a backstory. Manngard's "Circling Buzzards" originally came out in 2002 in limited availability. The Norwegian band recently signed with Nocturnal Art Productions, the label owned by Emperor's Samoth. It was the label's idea to release this recording to a much wider audience. Always looking for great European releases, Candlelight Records gained the rights to distribute this recording here in the US, hopefully finding an audience that caters to the Dying Fetus/Dillinger Escape Plan school of thought.

Manngard really are a mixed breed, combining on what I would consider "math metal". Tons of energy and excitement are on display through this thirty minute set. From progressive structures to stomping groove parts, these Norwegians really try to acomodate today's modern extreme fans by simply offering a wide variety of sounds. For the most part everything stays on a frenzied, reckless path that seems to revolve around the classic sounds of Slayer, completely pulverized and gutted for today's more angst ridden metal pack. Cuts like "Wreathed In Rot" completely incorporate that blasted Slayer soundtrack, however their is a punk inspired backdrop to the whole thing. On "Gragrang" the black metal sounds of Satyricon shine through, almost sounding like a splintered vision of "Rebel Extravaganza". By the twenty-ninth minute I'm left exhausted and famished, completely battered by too many riffs and to many strained screams. Not for me, but for the haggard blackened soul this could be outstanding.



--EC 05.29.06