AVERSE SEFIRA Battles Clarion CD (2007)

Texas is not the first place that comes to mind when you think of orthodox black metal. That's exactly why Averse Sefira spent two decades being quietly, furiously underrated.

Battles Clarion, their fourth full-length, is the Austin duo at their most uncompromising. Raw, relentless second-wave black metal in the tradition of Darkthrone and Mayhem, but with a rhythmic complexity and ideological rigour that set them apart from the endless Scandinavian imitators. Bassist and vocalist Wrath and guitarist Sanguine both brought a serious occult philosophy to their work, and this record sounds like the product of genuine conviction rather than aesthetic posturing. It remains one of the more essential and overlooked entries in American black metal, full stop.

CD, 2007 pressing.

Fans of: Absu, Deathspell Omega, Sargeist, Profanatica.