Loading...
However you choose to define or perceive Black Metal, one thing is definite, unless there is a true understanding of the ethos that spawned the genre, then the modern day exponents can be nothing but pale imitations of those great bands that laid down the foundations. It is not enough to mouth obeisance to Satan and profess hatred towards humanity. You have to understand what that means. And what it does not mean is repeating the words and thoughts of others. It means walking the paths yourself, exploring and experiencing, until you arrive at your own conclusions. And when you have arrived, then you are ready to express those beliefs through your music in a manner that is yours, and yours alone. If that sound defies categorisation, then so much the better, because Black Metal always was, and always will be, about self-discovery, self-belief, and self-expression. One musician who has understood this completely is Daniel Markussen, who created WRATH PASSION in order to give voice to his own unique understanding of life. Markussen is not a man who follows the strict tenets of any belief-system. He seeks his inspiration in things that many don’t even know exist, and chooses to ignore as much as possible the mainstream media distractions that might affect his creative process. Being part of the herd is not what Markussen aspires to, because therein lies the main block to creativity and originality. By using layers of hidden, or occult, knowledge, Markussen aims to create a feeling in his music that is blacker and more intense than mere Satanism. Where other bands pay lip service to the darkness, WRATH PASSION, endows it with depth and substance. The very name of the band gives some inkling as to the workings of Markussen’s mind - "Wrath Passion" is quite simply an anagram for
"Worship Satan". But at the end of the day, whilst belief and commitment are needed to make the work real and credible, it really all comes down to the music itself. Still essentially a studio project, with Markussen playing all the instruments, and Orv von Draugsang (DRAUGSANG) providing the vocals, WRATH PASSION released their first album "Careful Saint", on Infest Records in January of 2008. It’s an album that demonstrates that Markussen is not afraid to cross boundaries in his work, and includes vocals from Mortem on the track "Forpesta", and part of Ole Hallesby’s 1953 radio speech on "Helvetespreken", whilst the outro on "Corvus Corax" is by Edvard Grieg. With "Careful Saint" on the way to selling out completely, Markussen is currently working on material for the new album. So how does he define his music? He doesn’t. It IS Black Metal, yes, both in spirit and in sound, so that’s as good a definition as any. But he would much prefer to think of it as being "good metal" without the need for narrow categorisation, or comparison. It is what it is, and what it is, is what you make of it.
“Crossing all boundaries, fearing nothing, he’s crafted a seriously unorthodox album. It’s somewhat like semi-tamed chaos encapsuled in music”
Phuling - Encyclopedia Metallum
“Somehow, due to an unknown aural anomaly, Wrath Passion triumphantly manages to get it spot on and although the songs are wild and chaotic in construction they don’t loose any of their momentum or rhythm.”
Waffen - Hell Furnace
“Atónito me ha dejado este primer larga duración de Wrath Passion, banda conformada por Daniel Markussen (todos los instrumentos) y Orv Von Draugsang (voces) de la también banda Draugsang.”
Jonathan - PITCHLINE ZINE
“Listening to this album brings reminiscence on early nineties Norwegian black metal style, where atmosphere was the primary goal to achieve.”
Dubravko Stasek - VILE NOISE
“All in all a more convincing work than other well-known hordes, WRATH PASSION definitely deserves support.”
Guillaume "Ged" Dumazer - DEAD CHURCH
“...único instrumental de todo el disco, algo llamativo ya que es el tema que representa a la banda y generalmente este tipo de temas están acompañados con una letra que evidencie la ideología del grupo.”
Gonzalo Deubelbeis - RISE!
“I sette inni malefici presenti in questo full, sono caratterizzati da splendidi riff e cambi di ritmi di batteria molto energici e veloci”
RAW & WILD
“If this album was released at the time, today was one of the historical CDs of norwegian black metal”
Nordic Valkyrja - ALONE MUSIC
“Excellent norweigan black metal with a touch of lunacy and musical schizophrenia. If you like raw nordic metal, Wrath Passion is the band for you.
”
Martin Linde - MISANTROPIA
“The music has a dark satanic warlike feel that blankets the entire album.”
Beowolf Productions - Treats From The Underground Webzine
“I was most surprised by the maturity of the compositions and the enjoyable music on offer here. The underground can and often does contain far better bands than the mainstream labels would have you believe exist. This is one of them.”
Godreah - Norsk Svartmetall
“Norway's talent pool of black metal seems to be bottomless. Another new band rising from this primordial soup is Wrath Passion.”
Brad Smith - Nocturnal Cult Webzine
“Thankfully though the guitars do have their catchy qualities to be found and I don't think any fan of this sort of music will find themselves bored with Careful Saint.”
Joe Mlodik - Lunar Hypnosis Webzine
“Careful Saint is an album with plenty to endear itself to any metal fan.”
Ellen Simpson - ARCHAIC MAGAZINE
“Wrath Passion deserve to be remembered for this creature dedicated, as then, to the cold, frost and darkness.”
Nordic Valkyrja - ALONE MUSIC
“...pero si te gusta el sonido corrosivo y blasfemo del Black de la vieja escuela esta banda te va a encantar, o mejor dicho va a corromper tu alma.”
Gonzalo Deubelbeis - RISE!
“Songs are guitar laden with Black Metal chords and speeds reflecting the style of both the late 90s and 21st century.”
Mike Lidia - Unholy Cult Zine
“Lydbildet maler store musikalske landskap, helt uten å virke krampeaktig eller påtatt, bare elegant. Tror aldri jeg tidligere har lyttet til noe så grimt, som samtidig er så melodiøst. Fantastisk sterk debut, og jeg håper alle med sansen for black metal sjekker ut dette unike verket.”
Anne C. Bergkvist - The Streets
“From fast riffs and demonic screams earlier this song presents a darker more depressive side of Wrath Passion. „Tordenskrammel“ shows that Wrath Passion should be marked as true Norwegian black metal because that is what it is.”
Zana - METAL REVOLUTION
“Wrath Passion are one of the best new bands in the underground "Careful Saint" is an evil fucking album that will never bore you. I give it my highest recommendation.”
Obscurus - United States Black Metal Sect / Psyct Studios
“Blasting off at hyper speed, snarling vocal tumult and a furious guitars strum, we are dealt the hammer blow of Black Metal in its purest form.”
Godreah - Norsk Svartmetall
“Lofoten's Wrath Passion conjure up raw and somewhat melodic black metal from Norway that possess a true organic quality within the music.”
Brad Smith - Nocturnal Cult Webzine
“Wrath Passion's music falls within the raw black metal genre of sounds with ultra reverbed trebly guitars that bring to mind Satyricon's 'Dark Medieval Times,' but more specifically Ulver's 'Nattens Madrigal' album.”
Joe Mlodik - Lunar Hypnosis Webzine
“There's plenty of Norwegian grimness here; more than a few aural references to very early Satyricon, and a hateful, horrible, blasphemous attitude which finds greatest manifestation in Orv's truly vile, actually quite frightening abyssal growls and howls.”
Ellen Simpson - ARCHAIC MAGAZINE
“Wrath Passion is irrefutable proof that Norwegian black metal is still a major force, still pumping out world class acts.”
Jamie Goforth - BLACK BELLE MUSIC
