Funny how times change. In the early/mid-90s, when symphonic black metal was born, the concept of a band like Erimha appearing on Victory Records – then a bastion for the despised hardcore masses – would’ve been unthinkable. The boundaries of black metal, hardcore and, for that matter, Victory itself have obviously moved since then, but the signing is still something of a mystery.
Perhaps it’s the more bludgeoning and Behemoth-esque moments that clinched the deal, surely appealing to anyone who enjoys a spot of aggressive metal. It’s the frequent nods to the synth-heavy likes of Dimmu Borgir or even Cradle Of Filth that are more surprising. And sadly less effective.
Even if you ignore the hopelessly hammy band photos, it’s difficult to accept this as a credible effort. More problematic is that Reign Through Immortality suffers from a lack of depth; the musicianship and production values are stellar, but the songwriting lags behind and despite nice moments it’s hard to find memorable songs here, even with repeated listens.
