Year: 2020
Total Time: 31:11
Label: Soulseller Records
Norway 1991 and during the big explosion of Black Metal, TULUS were born. Eight years from their start and after three good full lengths, they are taking a break. But their members continue by creating another Black Metal band, named KHOLD. Some years later, KHOLD’s members are having a “deja-vu situation” by putting the band on hold and resurrect TULUS from their ashes. Note that two members of TULUS (Sarke and Crowbel) are also playing in another band, called simply SARKE. So, 8 years after the not so good album “Olm og bitter” and with big statements by band’s members for a return to their roots and for raw Norwegian Black Metal at its best (when I hear something like that I am always worried), they return with their new record “Old Old Death”. So let’s see how these statements from the Norwegians were reflected in their new music.
The album fortunately for all of us (who dared to listen to it) is short in duration, about half an hour. I must say that even after several times I listened to it I am still trying to find where the “rough early Norwegian Black Metal at its best”, which the Norwegians promised us is. Their music could be easily described as Black n roll with influences from the first wave of Black Metal etc., mostly VENOM and HELLHAMMER, also the Doom Metal of Black Sabbath and some Dark Rock and Folk elements. There is also a little suppressed influence of the Norwegian Black Metal scene in the sound of “Old Old Death” mainly in blastbeats. Unfortunately what we have here only are plain songs in their structure, which have nothing special to offer to the listener with the inspiration being ignored. The album is so mediocre, to the point that TULUS sound boring before the “Old Old Death” is even completed and we are talking about a record that lasts only thirty minutes!
Unfortunately with “Old Old Death” TULUS do not escape from mediocrity for a second consecutive album. They released a new full length album that will be forgotten very quickly and will go unnoticed in Black Metal scene. It is tragic that after eight years of silence TULUS release such a modest and hasty album. The only positive thing I can find in “Old Old Death” is that it is just a little bit better than their previous one.
Rating: 5/10
Editor: Nikos Manousis
Related Link: TULUS – Facebook Page
