Verräter is a trio from Nebraska, seemingly inspired by the traditional Scandinavia sound. Their style is harsh, bleak and chaotic. Perhaps it's not the most original black metal band but gives a damn. This stuff is eerie and intense. Furious blastbeats, thrash-induced riffing and a haunted voice, exorcising the band's demons, coming with a fearsome lo-fi production, what else could an old school black fan possibly want?
Sxuperion, hailing from Mammoth Lakes, California takes on a different approach but is in no way less intense or brutal. His atmospheric death metal seems to borrow from the old school as well but also incorporates some post-metal elements. In a way you can see this as grindcore or harsh, chaotic death metal, enhanced with atmospheric drones. The combination is pretty awesome too. It's a surprising but still crushing version of death metal, one which is definitely approve.
In all, this might be a bit of a strange combination for a split album. After all, harsh black metal and atmospheric death metal usually sound very different. Yet, on this album, both acts are quite similar in intensity, riffing and sheer power. This split is definitely a must-have for collectors of obscure goodies and extreme metal artifacts.
Serge