Calvarium
THE SKULL OF GOLGOTHA

November 2003
Released: 2003, Dynamic arts Records
Rating: 3.0/5
Reviewer: Luxi Lahtinen

Looking for a raw, unpolished, mostly either mid – or slow-paced, but also chaotic at times and absolutely a well-produced Black Metal? Then look no further ´coz Calvarium from the darkest and deepest forests of Finland pretty much answer to your prayers as far as at least those particular ingredients are concerned.



As a short background info for any of you interested parties, the band was formed by two relatively known Black Metal musicians (in Finland!) namely Veilroth (ex-Alghazanth, Behexen) and Lord Sargofagian (ex-Satanic Warmaster, Baptism, Valonsurma, Trotzreich) in 2000 (Anno Bastardi) and its final form Calvarium reached in 2002 by adding a third member into the line-up. His name was Molestor Kadotus who eventually took a position in the unholy union of Calvarium both as the main vocalist and lyric writer.



After recording a 5-song promo that was meant to be circulated around to some well-chosen record companies, Dynamic Arts Records became impressed by this satanic threesome´s Black Metal invasion and signed them. The rest could be considered as history...



But yeah, I can clearly understand why these well-armed, spiky Black Metal heroes were signed in the first place. They are pretty damn good at what they are doing in the own, already well worn-out field to slave people for their uncompromising Black Metal attacks. I´m sure a plenty of Black Metal people will surely find the band´s dark and nicely creepy Black Metal appealing and interesting and all that. But it´s just that I don´t go overly hysterical about this sort of stuff any more nowadays as I may have used to do a little bit in the past by listening to many raw and somewhat ´primitive´ sounding Black Metal acts. Actually it´s no confess if I admit that I have never cut my wrists in ecstasy while listening to Black Metal that may have had even those ´hidden messages´ somewhere hidden in songs; and words being whispered backwards inside lyrics naturally, of course (“Shall we all bleed for the Master Satan... now bow to the Master and cut your writs. Do it! Do it. Just do it...” and so on)!!



Songs like “Jumalviha” and “Morbid Hordes Revenge” are the ones that please me mostly musically on THE SKULL OF GOLGOTHA due to surprisingly melodic and depressive sections of these two particular songs even if they still don´t make me to cut my writs either, ha!



There´s not much more I could say about THE SKULL OF GOLGOTHA, I´m afraid. But if you think bands like Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir both suck a big time, then Calvarium´s debut album may be a good alternative to make you more pleased. No guarantees, tho.