Review : OV HELL – “The Underworld Regime”

Ov Hell - The Underworld Regime
released April 13, 2010 on Prosthetic Records

Rating: 3/5

Ov Hell has done a fairly good job making a true-to-form black metal album. It has the good quality drumming and epic black metal riffs, prototypical black metal vocals, and the Satanic and dark themes are as heavy-handed as ever (the girl saying “fuck me with the crucifix” in the beginning of one of the tracks is bordering on a Cradle Of Filth level of stupidity, though).

The main thing The Underworld Regime lacks is something to distinguish it from every other Norwegian black metal album.  Ov Hell is pretty run-of-the-mill as far as black metal goes, and even more so considering the “who’s-who of black metal” lineup it sports. The other negative comment I have about The Underworld Regime is that it feels tame and tethered, compared to the other works of these musicians. It doesn’t have the huge sound of Dimmu, it doesn’t have the dirty sound of Gorogorth, there’s no progressive parts as you hear in Enslaved, and the extent of Frost’s incredible drumming skills are not heard at all.

When you have this kind of group of musicians together, the band should let loose and not look back. Most who buy The Underworld Regime know exactly how typical Norwegian black metal sounds and do not need a refresher.  This CD is just that: a basic Norwegian black metal album, but with acceptable production. Don’t get me wrong – I actually enjoyed listening to this album. It may not be something I will put on regularly, and there are other black metal albums that I like a lot more, but it is still a decent quality release.  It lacks that “something” which puts it over the edge, but for a standard, no-frills black metal CD, The Underworld Regime is solid.

01. Devil’s Harlot
02. Post Modern Sadist
03. Invoker
04. Perpetual Night
05. Ghosting
06. Acts of Sin
07. Krigsatte Faner
08. Hill Norge

This is an edit of a review originally posted HERE on AllMetalResource.com