Ishtar - Krig

*=Staff's pick	The Abyss* Damnation* De Svarta Följeslagarna Vinterfrost Dismal Paradise Skuggtronen Mörkrets Furste* The Shadow Warrior Damnation (bonus track)

Genre	Black Metal	Aldrathan	Vocals
Tracks	9	Aldrathan	Guitar
Runningtime	64 Min.	-	Guitar
Label	Imperial Dawn Records	Troll	Bass
Release	12 June 2005	Agatash	Drums
Country	Sweden	Kaiserin	Keyboards
Similar artists	Ancient, Dimmu Borgir

Atmospheric black metal band Ishtar from Sweden seems to be a project including members from Misteltein. The Krig album includes nine songs with melancholy mid tempo Black Metal basically built around keyboards. If I get the picture right, this album was released back in 1999 and has been sold out. So Krig is a re-release with a new cover and mastering, and is released through the Japanese label Imperial Dawn Records.

What to say of the music than, well they are kind of long songs every one of them so the running time ends up at sixty-four minutes. Ishtar don't perform anything that you haven't heard already, so I wouldn't accuse them of creating some fresh or new thinking music with Krig. Early Ancient or Dimmu Borgir comes to my mind, especially with the vocals from Aldrathan that reminds very much of the two first Gorgoroth albums. The material and arrangements are average; the thing that irritates me is the high level on the keyboard and the fact that it never rests. In every melody line, verse or refrain it's always there, almost drowning the drums and the razor sharp guitars. More aggressiveness and cleaner arrangements are a few things that I would prefer instead of never ending mid tempo parts with keyboards that don't seem to lead nowhere.

The most recommendable song must be Damnation with its dreadful beginning and great dark vocals. I also have to mention the song called Mörkrets Furste, a really good one, with vicious intentions and a keyboard line that at the best time makes you think of Satyricons eminent Dark Medieval Times. If the album would have had more of this kind it would do a lot for the whole picture. Otherwise this is an average album and I think that Mistelteins work feels more interesting.

Production	Vocals	Compositions
7	5	6

Summary
6 chalices of 10 - Tim