In the Glare of Burning Churches
Occupation
- Vocals, guitar, keyboards: Darken
- Drums: Capricornus
In the Glare of Burning Churches is a demo of the Polish Black-/Pagan-Metal-Band Graveland.
Music
The sound quality is very raw and especially the guitars themselves have for black metal standards, a very harsh sound on. The pieces are rather slow, but still very aggressive. Due to the modest use of keyboards ( Darken as used on the debut of a church organ -inspired sound ) and sound samples a gloomy atmosphere is created. John Chedsey of Satan Stole My Teddy Bear wrote about the song, it was " the most tortured screams that I've heard in a long time ."
Pagan-/Viking-Metal-Einflüsse are not present, these musical influences and lyrical themes only became available from the second album Thousand Swords. Instead, the band with the hardcore band Discharge was compared, the production of the album was sometimes referred to as "terrible".
The lyrics are mostly of anti-Christian themes, the title alludes to the church arsons by members of the Norwegian black metal scene. Darken stated as influences Bathory and Emperor.
Versions
There are three different versions of the demos: the original, the remastered version from 1996 with bonus material and a slightly different take, in which mainly the singing is different. This third version was released along with the demo Epilogue 1999.
1996, 1999, 2008 and 2009 was In the Glare of Burning Churches of different labels re-released on CD and vinyl.
Reception
In the Glare of Burning Churches enjoys in parts of the Black Metal scene a reputation as a classic. Since Graveland has not yet been considered at the time of publication as NSBM band, could be widely disseminated the demo.
In September 2008 In the Glare of Burning Churches along with The Celtic Winter, Following the Voice of Blood and Immortal Pride by the Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young indexed ( list B).
Title list
On the remastered version, also find the bonus tracks Instrumental, Hordes of Empire and The Gates to the Kingdom of Darkness / Outro.