Ancient Rites - And the Hordes Stood as One

Band/artist - Ancient Rites
Genre(s) - Symphonic blackened metal
Origin - Belgium
Album - And the Hordes Stood as One
Year of release - 2003

Ancient Rites are a Flemish metal band operating somewhere between the heavy, thrash and black metal genres spiced up with a generous helping of medieval-ish symphonic keyboards. They're no perfect band: Günther really isn't that good a vocalist and they've always been plagued by a production job as solid and hard-hitting as a sheet of aluminium foil. In fact this, a live album, is probably their most well-mixed album to date! And the Hordes... consists of all the best tracks from their two preceding studio albums, plus some nice oldies and is easily my fave release. Central theme of the lyrics is European history with a stress on its perceived cultural superiority, but their music is very melodic and deceptively uplifting even in the most aggressive parts. I must confess I'm a longtime fan despite the blatant nationalism. Favourite songs? All of 'em!

1. The return
2. Exile (les litanies de Satan)
3. Victory or valhalla (last man standing)
4. Total misanthropia
5. Aris
6. And the horns called for war
7. North sea
8. Blood of christ
9. Longing for the ancient kingdom
10. Götterdämmerung (twilight of the gods)
11. Ode to ancient Europa
    
12. (Het verdronken land van) Saeftinghe
13. On golden fields (de leeuwen dansen)
14. Mother Europe
15. Evil prevails
16. Fatherland
    

Load it down