Band:	Marduk
Album:	World Funeral
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	February 24, 2003
Guest review by:	Justin

01. With Satan And Victorious Weapons
02. Bleached Bones
03. Cloven Hoof
04. World Funeral
05. To The Deaths Head True
06. Castrum Doloris
07. Hearse
08. Night Of The Long Knives
09. Bloodletting
10. Blessed Unholy
11. Blackcrowned

Those Scandinavian [Norrkoping, Sweden] black metal innovators Marduk is back with another hate filled slab of destruction and mayhem after a two-year absence. Having been founded by guitarist Morgan Steinmeyer Hakansson in 1990, Marduk have been relentless in their pursuit of all things unholy, and have influenced the scene in return with quality release ever since. While 1999's Panzer Division Marduk is seen as Marduk's groundbreaking and best release in the past, there's no denying that the releases that followed since have been every bit as worthy. Marduk's last release, 2001's La Grande Danse Macabre may have slowed down the pace somewhat, but it still retained all the trademark evil that makes up the classic Marduk sound. 2001's retrospective box set Blackcrowned tided fans over, but it's their new [eighth] album that fans have been waiting impatiently for.
World Funeral sees Marduk return to the highly utilized Abyss studios once again, with the line up now consisting of Morgan Steinmeyer Hakansson on guitars, B. War on bass, Legion on vocals and newcomer Emil Dragutinovic on drums. The similarities between La Grande Danse Macabre and World Funeral are certainly evident with the albums eleven tracks moving from the fast paced blitz attacks and the slowed down smoulder of heavier numbers.

?With Satan And Victorious Weapons? is the albums furious opening track. The band is in top form, and the 'sake no prisoners? attack plan is well intact. ?Bleached Bones? and ?To The Death's Head True? are no less effective with the pace taken back a few gears, but ?Cloven Hoof? and the title track ?World Funeral? return with screaming vengeance. The single ?Hearse? is a prime candidate when selecting the pick of the album, while ?Night Of The Long Knives? and ?Blessed Unholy? reinforces Marduk's black gospel. There's some experimentation on the riff in ?Bloodletting? that brings to mind Ministry's ?N.W.O.? mixed with a Queens Of The Stone Age groove, but is still within the Marduk sphere of black metal.

World Funeral is sure to keep fans happy, while retaining the cult following the band have attained since inception. This is black metal without the overblown hype of recent so called extreme acts.