The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre

Beginning with an unsettling, slightly out of tune piano and organ opener then roaring into frantic blast beats and unholy rasping vocals, The Eternal Melancholy of the Wampyre is a second-wave black metal beast. Wampyric Rites stick to familiar paths but that makes the album, their debut after a myriad of shorter releases, no less ferocious and yet they manage to imbue their songs with enough melody to give even casual black metal fans a sense that it isn't just chaos. There isn't a standout track but the whole is satisfyingly cold and creepy enough to make you want to leave the lights on long after listening.