There are some rare moments in life where you find a really outstanding piece of art, although you didn't expect something great....This case happened to me with the band ORTUS from Mainz (not to be confused with a Black Metal band named ORKUS from the Rhineland area, which split up some years ago ).
ORTUS exist since 2013 and this EP named "Where shadows gather" is their first official release released by Worship Tapes. It contains of four relatively long tracks with a duration of ca. 29 minutes and is limited to 102 tapes.
The first track "Echos of the past" can be seen as an intro. It contains some very interesting melodies which evoke a slightly melancholical atmosphere. The next track "To enter nightside" starts with fast traditional black metal-parts, but also shows a well balanced variety in speed, the mid-tempo parts are very powerfull as well. Some acoustic-guitars parts are integrated which reminds for example to the old classic ABIGOR Albums such as "Verwüstung" or "Orkblut". Even some choir voices can be heard, you see, ORTUS have a lot to offer. Nevertheless it sounds still natural and traditional and never complicated or overambitious.
The following tracks named "Nocturne" and "Where shadows gather" offer again great, mostly fast traditional stuff, but always consisting of some good melodies and it's never turning into chaotic structures.
To sum up: This is a true masterpiece of (German) black metal. ORTUS found the perfect balance between melodical structures on the one hand and raw and grim traditional black metal on the other hand. If you like (Swedish) black metal such as MÖRK GRYNING, DAWN, SACRAMENTUM, VINTERLAND, SETHERIAL, THRONE OF AHAZ, DARK FUNERAL or old ABIGOR, this is for you !
During the last years there has been some newer bands in Germany that have kept the flame burning such as HYEMS, CREATURE, BELTEZ, NECROTIC WOODS, BURKHARTSVINTER, PESTLEGION or BRANNTHORDE. Now you have to add ORTUS !
To be honest, it's a shame that countless of completely worthless and shitty bands are featured in the big magazines and such a jewel like ORTUS is still undiscovered by the majority of black metal worshippers. But hey, that's underground black metal, which was never meant to be music for the masses.
Do yourself a favor and forget about WATAIN and support ORTUS instead.
