Count Czar Yang is the leader of AMMIT, a Chilean black metal band that have developed a sound not unlike early BATHORY or SODOM from the “Obsessed by Cruelty” days. Count Czar Yang started recording brutal black thrash back in the early 90’s as one-man band, sound familiar? Well, whether “The Count” was trying to walk in the footsteps of the late and brilliant Quorthon is speculative, but he and the rest of his band have made a couple of albums here that have made an acceptable attempt to replicate that dark and bestial sound. I did say replicate, as there is nothing going on here that is terribly new or revolutionary, but I suspect the band is not trying to be original. Rather, they seem to be trying to bring back a sound that to many metal fans represents the best period in extreme metal. For me, the CD was listenable but not terribly interesting. While VENOM, BATHORY and Co. could get away with muddy and dark production due to their raw and powerful songs, AMMIT I fear don’t quite pull it off.

The album could be split into three sections; the 2000 recording “Mass Suicide”, the 1998 effort of “Steel Inferno" and the results of a 2004 recording session that has resulted in three new songs. The first nine songs on the CD are from the 2000 release “Mass Suicide”. I think these songs are the strongest on the CD. The first couple especially live up to the hype of the bio. They are great and do follow in the footsteps of the 80’s black thrash gods that the band obviously aspire to. The next nine songs from “Steel Inferno” do lack in the power department. The songwriting really seems to be going through the motions and really these nine songs do little to interest me. I have also found the ambient avant-garde a-la CELTIC FROST’s more arty moments to be clichéd and contrived.The three songs from the 2004 recording session are just bad. The good old Count seems to have lost his rasp that made “Mass Suicides” stand out as being a good old-school copy. The music on these three last songs are really lacking everything necessary to be good metal and as such I have trouble listening to them. It's a shame as it really detracts from the great opening tracks on the disc.

Basically this CD would be worthwhile if you just took the first nine songs, removed the “evil ambient moments” and just made it an EP. I feel that such an EP could be labeled as a great release. There is very little on the rest of the album that I would recommend. However for those old-school black/thrash fanatics out there buying this album could be worth your while even if it is just for the first album.

- Saltry

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