This album mark the milestone of Northern Heritage label, being
catalogue number NH-100. For some years, there had been various ideas
about how to celebrate the 100th release of the label. Eventually, every
idea about special box-sets or other type of gimmick releases felt
artificial. As the labels beginning – NH-001 – was a Clandestine Blaze
album, there's no better way than to make NH-100 be that as well.
Northern
Heritage doesn't want to give an impression that things are over. There
isn't mere nostalgia, commercial gimmicks and other desperate attempts
to awaken the interest of listeners. Label operates in a very similar
policy as it did in the beginning. Having 100 releases in catalogue
without any regrets may be an achievement in itself, but the work
continues. New releases are already being planned for 2017.
What could be said of "City Of Slaughter" album?
It's
expected that some people will conclude that this album sounds exactly
like all albums before, and others will say it sounds completely
different from previous works. So different, that it's not even
recognized as being the same band. Truth is obviously somewhere in
between. The album is the most aggressive and ferocious Clandestine
Blaze album to this day. Guitars return to early days'
maximum-distortion dirt. Vocals include more force and tone than in the
old times. Drums hammer with slightly faster pace, and song structures
sometimes break free from traditional templates. Lyrically the work is
harsh and hostile, yet with plenty of substance to be discovered.
Approach
of both the label and the band is repulsion towards pathological
curiosity for "new", which completely excludes true interest and wonders
of discovery. We have seen gimmicks disguised as development,
imitations of new trends disguised as actual ideas. Material for those
curious merely for entertainment of new experience.
In
diametrical opposition truly sinking deep and understanding the
experience. Instead of absorbing, seeking to understand and seeking to
fully experience and consciously committing to a specific thing, the
pathologically curious simply drift in mercy of latest fads. This never
leaves any true mark or provokes one to fully commit on something that
really has life-altering meaning.
We reject drifting in stream of
superficial curiosity. We seek to cultivate, dig beyond surface level
and be inspired by what was and still is a strong and meaningful source
of inspiration.