Norway’s specialty in black metal music is irrefutable, everything which came out from this Scandinavian country showed the area of the musical expertise in black metal genre. And it is surprising to see that the newer generation of metal bands are somehow breaching the unholy tradition. In the past years the Norwegian metal scene began pumping out a number of obscure death metal bands. While encountering an obscure metal band that plays blackened thrash metal style isn’t quite an odd thing. Those who are familiar with the Norwegian thrash metal band Neckromantheon are aware of the change in mindset of younger musicians.

This really brings us to another band known as Inculter who share the same musical style with the thrash metal bands Neckromantheon and Deathhammer. Inculter is a blackened thrash metal band whose aim is to restore the old school metal sound of the early 80’s. Fatal Visions is the band’s second album which follows the style of the raw thrash. Similar to Aura Noir the Norwegian kind of old school black/thrash metal. Inculter’s musical strain is profoundly raw and obscure. This isn’t a tribute to the elders of thrash metal bands and the Norwegian quartet doesn’t aim to emulate other bands. In fact Fatal Visions is unrefined album which can be conceived as an obscure blackened thrash metal. But unlike the first Sodom “Obsessed by Cruelty” album which had that black/speed metal vibe.

Fatal Visions has a fundamental style when it comes to blackened thrash metal. I find this sophomore near in description to Kreator’s first album Endless Pain. And Sepultura’s album Schizophrenia and the Brazilian death/thrash metal band Mutilator. The album opens with the extreme track Open the Tombs, where the band gives a solid treat to the fundamentals of thrash metal classics. Crude guitar riffs and mauling drums that comes into an extreme disposal, the vocals are evil harsh and wicked. Inculter is a spirited band and highly obsessed by the 80’s nostalgia.

The band’s aspiration is far reaching with this sophomore, and when it comes to riff construction methods the band is insanely good. Impending Doom is engaged by the heavy pummeling of the thrashing drum beats, and the firing solos are crucial. Wrought by the wicked obsessive minds, Inculter’s riff work resembles the classic style of old school. 

Fatal Visions leans towards the primitive blackened thrash metal tenchnique, the album and the sound production is suitable for this kind of nostalgic class. There are no melodies here, the tracks are organized in a transcendental order. Where every track strikes with the fury of raw power, even without melodies the band is able to deliver a series of flammable material. Tracks like Shepherd of Evil starts with slow riffs. Then overwhelmingly crushes and defeats by the power of the crude riffs. 

End time Winds begins with the menacing slow riffs when the battering drums pummels hard. Fatal Visions spins under 35 minutes, and presents eight solid tracks that will blow your mind away. No complementary here this is one fucking serious thrash album dedicated to the old school fanatics. The bass guitar isn’t neglected from the whole equation, Final Darkness fiery riffs and storming solos exhibits the tight performance from this Norwegian band. Each track is impressively built to amuse and to impress, and shows an aggressive style of riffing that remind me of Sadus early albums.

Towards the Unknown is one of the standout tracks on the album that contains the typical force of brutal thrash metal. The album title track is another mind blowing song that shows a gritty performance from the band. Inculter never fails to keep the listener engaged into maelstorm, the real deal here is the quality of the riffs. This is a true metallic album that meet the aggressive tonality of many old school metal albums like Slayer’s Hell Awaits, and Kreator’s Pleasure to kill album. It’s an old fashioned and nostalgic album, and the imitation factor here is reduced to zero.

And for this reason I recommend you to check out Fatal Visions, this an extreme metal album. That breathes the rusted air of old school metal, and conjures some evil riffs and blazing solos. This is a galloping thrash metal of fine quality brought to the utmost level of riffing madness!

Release Date: April 12th, 2019
Label: Edged Circle Productions
Track list:

1. Open The Tombs
2. Impending Doom
3. Shepherd of Evil
4. Endtime Winds
5. Final Darkness
6. Towards the Unknown
7. Fatal Visions
8. Through Relic Gates