Band:	Krieg
Album:	Blue Miasma
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	2006
A review by:	KwonVerge

01. The Great Beast Trembled In Nightmare
02. Who Shall Stand Against Me
03. The Blue Mist
04. Under An Unearning Moon
05. The Sick Winds Stir The Cold Dawn
06. ...And Now The End
07. Lingering Doubt
08. Hallucinations In Deep Corruption
09. Every Wound Burned
10. An Empty Room, A Forgotten Funeral
11. The Master's Voice
12. Scars Brought Into Question
13. The Forest Beneath The Sea

Lord Imperial and the wraiths consisting of the cult US black metal band Krieg managed to return during 2006 "under an uncaring moon" and unleash to the world a new plague, "Blue Miasma". Their new attempt is distressing, chaotic, twisted, just like it has to be in order to unfold its exceptional darkness to the world!

"Blue Miasma" is an album i enjoyed a whole lot. Having many good songs in it, and some i exceptionally loved, it grows on me as days pass by and i appreciate it more and more every time i lose myself in its ominous soundscapes. Lord Imperial's vocals are so unearthly, he offers some of the most expressive and sickening screams i've ever cherished, i so much adored his hysterical howling with the echo FX that come straight from forgotten dungeons, surrounding the listener in such ominous ways, whereas a slightly more desperate way of expression here and there is always welcome, adding a sense of melancholy in the overall atmosphere. The guitar riffing is merciless, absolute razorblade riffing that floats in ravenous ways in the darkened atmospher,e terrifying all innocense and beauty without remorse, evoking either an obscure sense of bitterness or unleashing misanthropic and menacing visions; melodic ideas are present here and there and they add a beautiful touch in the compositions, whereas at times strange guitar distortions at some melodic passages add variety to the sound of the band. The guitar work is definitely black metal driven to the core, yet a slightly heavy touch is distinctive at very few passages along with a slight US death metal approach (just like on "...And Now The End"). The rhythm section is relentless, unerring and ultra fast, evoking terror through the merciless and powerful drumming, whereas the bass lines hide behind the walls of sound, not something new for the underground black metal scene!

From the chaotic and distressing opener, "The Great Beast Trembled In Nightmare", to the apshyxiating ending theme, "The Forest Beneath The Sea", the album manages to flow in a highly interesting way with the tempo varying from mid to really upbeat and the atmosphere and the structure showing changes from the one song to the other. The songs i personally enjoyed a lot have to be "The Sick Winds Stir The Cold Dawn" with its varied atmosphere, incorporating ultra groovy, heavy and desolate passages, the fierce "Who Shall Stand Against Me" and "Lingering Doubt" and "The Master's Voice" for its twisted and menacing aesthetic (those female vocals sound utterly paranoid!!). And last but not least my favorite compositions of "Blue Miasma" which are "The Blue Mist" for the overwhelming emotions of dismay, the distressing opus "Every Wound Burned" with the mesmerizing guitar distortion at the more tranquil moments and the soul-crushing howls and the more desperate and melancholic "An empty Room, A Forgotten Funeral".

Concluding, "Blue Miasma" is a strong release that will please the underground black metal adorers, i don't see a reason why it could disappoint, so in my opinion you should proceed and enjoy the darkness only Krieg know how to evoke. Black metal ist Krieg.