Runemagick
Envenom (CD) 2005 Aftermath Music
It is usually the case with doom bands who release non-doom albums that a band starts out as playing doom but later moves away from it. It happened to big names such as Anathema, Katatonia and The 3rd And The Mortal. But with Runemagick you will find a pleasant surprise. Instead of moving away from doom metal, these guys used to play death metal, but have gradually moved into becoming doom metal. 'Envenom' is the album that really completes this transaction. Even the death metal sections, which are few and far between, are still quite doomy. Runemagick produces raw, filthy and soulcrushing doom/death. The foul result comes from a pretty pure mixture of the two genres, with as little outside input as possible. Thus creating a powerful sound which fans of all kinds of raw doom/death can enjoy. One of many reasons why I foretell an even greater future for this band. The length of the tracks are a little above 12 minutes on average. So not only has the band a tendency to create music that often is as slow as a funeral doom band, they also have the tracklength to match. To match the sound of this hideous creature the band has created short, but blunt and unforgiving lyrics about many a dark art. Like necromancy, black magic and dark alchemy. This probably sounds like the classic kind of thrash metal/heavy metal lyrics, but that's hardly the case. There are no shock elements in them. Instead you can look forward to a more sinister way of confronting these dark arts. Fans of diSEMBOWELMENT, Mythic, Burning Witch, Winter and many more of these grim doom/death acts can look forward to hearing this. This is a band with a sound that would do well in all parts of this scene. Many a fan of Grief and similar sludge bands would enjoy this as well.	1. Vultures 2. Envenom (Laterna - Magica) 3. Nebulous 4. Omnivore 5. Maelstrom (Sin Eater) Approx. 61 minutes
Reviewed by: Arnstein H. Pettersen
Invocation Of Magick (CD) 2006 Aftermath Music
Runemagick is a band that's been around for quite some time. These Swedes have shown a gradual evolution from a raw death metal style to a more and more doomy one. 'Invocation of Magick' is the culmination of this process thus far, as this album is all slow 'n' low. Not only slow 'n' low, but also straight up: chugging, varied riffs, exciting rhythms, growls, and no extras. And they do it well. It took me a bit of time to get into this album, but every song has a great deal of energy. The album is pretty long, but if you're enjoying what's going on, and you can't resist banging your head along, it will flow seamlessly to the end. 'Invocation of Doom Runes' and the elaborate 'Black Magick Sorceress' in particular contain very pleasing parts. Perhaps some more tempo changes or more extensive lead guitar work might have pushed this album a bit further. As it is now, it is really only interesting for true death/doom fanatics. It is damn good, though, not to mention groovy. Definitely something to check out.	1. Preludium Apocalypsis 2. Invocation of Doom Runes 3. Black Magick Sorceress 4. Fisher of Souls 5. Lower Worlds 6. The Devils (Imperium Magnum Infernalis) 7. Conjuration of the Black Shape 8. Witchcraft Gateways Approx. 70 minutes
Reviewed by: Oscar Strik