Trepaneringsritualen #3

I have just spent a pleasant while listening to the cassette album "Septentrional" by Trepaneringsritualen. The cassette was released by Hanson Records back in January 2010, but I've only just managed to find a copy floating about for sale on the Special-Interests forum board. Trepaneringsritualen releases are limited and usually sell out within weeks rather than months ... or years in Dieter Muh's case.
"Septentrional" (which, I think, is the name of the seven stars within The Big Dipper or The Plough) is a tape of two halves. Side A is very reminiscent to the sound of old releases by Side Effekts Records back in the mid 1980's. That is not to say that the sound is dated - au contraire - the sound is very vibrant and fresh, especially to old farts like me who still regularly play old releases on Side Effekts Records from the mid 1980's. It is as if Thomas Ekelund (aka Mr. Trepaneringsritualen) has studied the sound and given it a new lease of life - moving the boundary. "Askr Ok Embla" opens the album with a nod to S.P.K's "Leichenschrei" sound. A pounding slow pulse beat with occasional metal spring resonance, a distorted voice with indecipherable speech. "Den Blodtunga Jorden" follows with the grinding synth pulse of Gerechtigkeits Liga / Hunting Lodge. Punch the air! Hanson Records has become Side Effekts Records. This track leads into "Etern" with its' guttural drone, human voice / gourd? Low moan and drone similar to Lustmord and "Paradise Disowned". Somewhere in this piece is the voice of Crowley (maybe Ezra Pound) reciting poetry, but it is well disguised by distortion.
In writing about previous releases by Trepaneringsritualen I have compared the sound to UK outfit Mazuraan. That thought / comparison returns on Side B. "Maran" is a seven minute piece, a "the beast awakes" type of track that is usual of tapes where the artist/musician(s) have a history of listening to and/or performing "black metal". Back in 1988 I remember (as part of Muhviertel) having an old Dansette record player, sticking a microphone to the front speaker and playing a Venom LP at 16 rpm, then dropping candle wax on the record so the needle hit the wax and jumped back on to the vinyl at random points. Great fun, and some great loops were found ... I do have a tape somewhere ... this all came back to me whilst playing "Maran". Two short pieces finish of Side B. "Vite Krist" has an early Portion Control feel/rhythm and "Adils, Aun Ok Egil" is in a nightmare world or swirling, panning, electronics with a 3/6 pulse and "Golemesque" voices.
Side B is not as enjoyable as Side A, but then again I'm not too certain that it is supposed to be!
"Septentrional" is another classic in the Trepaneringsritualen release cannon - long may it continue.

As mentioned the tape is on the US label Hanson Records, I think it is sold out from source - pressure Aaron to do a second pressing - if you see it for sale .. buy it!