This is the classic release of Satyricon, the pinnacle of their musical career. Featuring the mighty Samoth of the Emperor fame apart from the regular line-up of Satyr and Frost, Black Metal usually doesn’t get better than this.
Musically, it is neither the old-school grim stuff nor the fast-and-furious later-years-stuff (referred to as norsecore by some) but somewhere, perfectly in between. In fact, the most amazing aspect of the album is this perfection. The PERFECT infusion of every trademark element of black metal, in the most coherent manner. The dark ambience, the blast beats, the tempo changes, the acoustic interlude, the highly evocative BLACKNESS in the music (you need to be a black metal fan to understand this!!)…it’s all there…and in right proportions and at right instances. Perfectly orchestrated to infuse a pagan feel. Almost all the songs are long, progressive, painting a soundscape, to be individually experienced, and sunk in. Non-repetitive and memorable, every song is an epic, a masterpiece in itself. Apart from the cold black feel in all the songs, there is also a slight inclination towards a "Viking" feel in the song "Vikingland". As the title suggests, the song demands a Viking feel and they do the needful rightfully. Again, a touch of perfection in the amount and timing of incorporating musical elements in the song. There isn’t much more to say about this. This is a must-have for any self-respecting black metal fan.