Review: Meadow Grove / Thaddaios split – Elegy for the Victims of War

Meadow Grove / Thaddaios split – Elegy For the Victims of War

Black metal and dungeon synth have always had a peculiar relationship. Black metal’s caustic violence, you would think, would have little if anything to do with the eerie soundscapes of dark fantasy that comprise the world of dungeon synth, and yet you will often find the same corpsepaint-clad, sword-wielding figures adorning the albums of both genres. From Burzum’s early primitive synth works to Fathomage and Paysage d’Hiver’s later ambient works, it’s clear that black metal and dungeon synth go hand in hand. 

This little preamble leads me to a little underground gem I found whilst desperately searching Nordic Mission’s website in hopes of stumbling across, at long last, a proper reissue of Living Sacrifice’s Inhabit – a cassette only split by Finnish dungeon synth act Meadow Grove and raw black metal act Thaddaios. The projects are helmed by one guy, Meadow G.

Side one features the dungeon synth material of Meadow Grove. If you liked the eerie ambience heard on Paysage d’Hiver records like Steineiche and Die Festung, you will no doubt dig the minimalistic darkness heard here. Elegy II is particularly haunting material. In the end, though, it’s really a preamble to the punishment to come, some of the finest black metal filth to come out of Finland that I’ve heard in awhile (Finnish black metal has always had a particularly dirty, ugly sound to it, at least in my opinion). 

Opener “I en belagrad stad” (an excerpt from Psalm 31 – or 30 if you’re using the Septuagint version) immediately captured my attention with its Swedish-style chainsaw guitar tone (think early Entombed or Dismember but colder and thinner), and howling shrieks that hit every sweet spot a black metal fan could ever ask for. “Heretical Nightmare” uses a war-time warning announcement from Ukraine and eerily lays it over a foundation of sludgy, trudging black metal doom, functioning as a lament over the sorrow, loss and bloodshed of war. The clattering drums and frantic pace of “Requiem Eternam” are encircled by haunting ambient passages that will stick with you long after the song ends.  

Look, I get it – black metal’s not for everyone, but that’s just part of the package. But if this is your thing – and it is definitely mine – this raw blast from the underground will more than satisfy. It’s searing, haunting and hostile, just the way black metal should be.

For Fans Of: Fire Throne, Paysage d’Hiver, Burzum, Elgibbor

Check out the two projects HERE.

About Author

Jason McLaren

I’m an Orthodox Christian, have a Master’s Degree in Theological Studies, and have been a metal fan for around a quarter of a century. I’ve never been much of a metal traditionalist, so you won’t normally find me spinning Megadeth albums (as good as they might be). Black, death, goth, grind – that’s my thing. I love to scour the furthest reaches of the underground and bring back the gems I find to show others – bit of a show and tell guy. When I’m not blasting the tunes, I love reading works of a theological/spiritual nature, as well as playing a rousing game of chess.

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