Fenriz' Red Planet / Nattefrost

While the description of this split sounds interesting ― Darkthrone drummer Fenriz's previously vaulted side-project from 1993 and unreleased/hard-to-find tracks from Nattefrost (Carpathian Forest) ― it certainly isn't for everyone. The first three cuts, from Fenriz' Red Planet, are a rough, doom-y triad. Fenriz's wailing clean vocals add an air of unreality (and humour) to the already chaotic, mid-paced songs; the result is not unpleasant, especially once it's all sunk in after a few spins. The ensuing five Nattefrost tracks are on a completely different plane: (mostly) up-tempo, punk-laced, blackened metal, not unlike Carpathian Forest. These songs are more engaging, in the sense of being real headbangers, but that element gets lost during the penultimate track, which is largely made up of samples and lacks obvious musical direction. Though two ostensibly opposite projects, they overlap in the black'n'roll department, and somehow complement each other through their sheer difference.