Do you ever just find yourself wondering “what’s the point?“? This happened to me the other day whilst reading a review in a professional publication. Although the review was fairly accurate (as much as reviews can be – at the end of the day, it’s all a matter of taste), it just felt like every other review I’d read (or written!) in the last few years. Full of the same old adjectives and similes. It did a great job of describing the music, but it was also interchangeable with any other band of the same genre. I found myself wondering if it was worth reading reviews and, more importantly for this site, if it was really worth writing them. So, that day I decided that I wouldn’t bother any more – I’d just post up a rating out of 10 (a process that works fantastically well for DJ Anubis – please check out his site) and use this site to mainly share news, Freebies and interviews. That was the plan anyway…

Fast-forward to the following evening and I’m sat down in front of my computer with the intention of ‘checking a few emails’. This is a task that should take only a few minutes. But, in reality, I get distracted and find myself looking at all kinds of random stuff. That evening’s internet adventure was particularly fruitful, as it included a trip to one of my favourite places on the internet – Bandcamp. I searched for stuff that was tagged with “free” for a while… then I searched for stuff that was tagged with “Black Metal” and there were some diamonds in the rough, but – on the whole – there was nothing to get excited about (at least, nothing that I didn’t already own). Then I had a flash of inspiration – “I SHALL SEARCH FOR ATMOSPHERIC BLACK METAL!” I declared in my most decisive voice! …Ok, that’s a lie… it was in my head… but it still counts. Almost immediately I found a wealth of amazing stuff (most of which I will share on this site in due course), but one that stood out to me immediately was by a band called Ogrish… What is Ogrish? I have no idea, but I’ve decided it’s a word used to describe something that’s a bit like an ogre. Whether that’s actually the case or not is irrelevant.

Anyway, Ogrish’s demo is available as a “name your price” download and, since we’re most definitely on the wrong side of payday, I was forced to offer them nothing but my love in return for their music (although I am hoping to make some form of contribution at a later date). I waited patiently for my download and, when it arrived, I added it to iTunes and had a listen. Nothing out of the ordinary there…

Within a few moments I realised that I was onto a bit of a winner. Was it Black Metal? CHECK! Was it atmospheric? CHECK! Was it a bit creepy? CHECK! Does it make me want to hang around in a forest? CHECK! Does it make me want to cake my face in corpsepaint? CHECK! All of the boxes were ticked! Splendid! And, not only did do well there, but it’s also surprisingly addictive. The understated melodies have a way of forcing their way into your brain and there’s a strong possibility that “So Pretty and So Dead” could become one of my favourite tracks for this year.

It was at this point that I realised why I write these reviews. It’s not to show off my vocabulary (or, on some days, the lack of it). It’s not to talk about bands who have been crammed into my inbox by their overzealous promoters and labels. It’s about sharing music that I’m excited about. You may have noticed that there are very few poor reviews on Loucifer Speaks. This isn’t because I don’t dislike anything or because I’m overly nice; it’s simply because that unless a piece of music gets me OVER THE TOP EXCITED, I see no point in writing about it. If it’s terribly bad or mediocre, it might get a review of a couple of lines, but other that that I just like to move onto something a little more to my tastes. So, this paragraph should make it abundantly clear that I am OVER THE TOP EXCITED about this demo from Ogrish.

I could now list the usual adjectives – it’s darker than the darkest night, more evil than Satan’s armpit on a summer’s day, harsher than a winter on the planet Hoth, it’s unnerving, hypnotic, mesmerising…. and they’d all be true. But, you’ve read it all before, haven’t you? So, let me put it another way… After having had a look at Ogrish’s Facebook page they seem to be a relatively new band (they set up their page in 2011 and this is the only music they have available as far as I can tell), but they’re good. They’re shit your pants good (and that’s GOOD). Listening to this EP has reminded me why I set up Loucifer Speaks (and “ARSE!” before it – anyone remember that one?) in the first place – to talk about bands that make me want to run through the streets shouting their name. I want to share my enthusiasm about music with people. Spread it like infectious disease! A PLAGUE OF METAL!

Ogrish’s demo is by no means perfect and I think that adds to its charm. This is a band that’s hungry and determined to spread their dark art. This is a band to get excited about. Tell your friends. Tell your parents. Tell all of the acquaintances that you’ve added to your Facebook friends list but have never spoken to. Hey, perhaps this should be a way to start a conversation… “Hi blah blah, we haven’t spoken since High School… How the devil are you? Have a listen to Ogrish”. If they have good taste, they’ll thank you and they may even give your post a little ‘like’. If not, they’re obviously a bit rubbish anyway and should probably be unfriended at the earliest opportunity.

Ogrish have set the bar high with this one and sincerely cannot wait for their next release! Download it now – you can even get it for free! What have you got to lose???

Rating: 96%

facebook.com/Ogrishbm
ogrish.bandcamp.com

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