---Pandemonial--- Tswaert der Duusternesse--- Aardschok---
---Ablaze Magazine--- Spin City--- Hellehond--- Mindview ---

:: Pandemonial ::

Yes!!
Everything about this release just breathes Metal!!! If I hadn't known Dark Ages to be a Belgian band, I would have sworn they were Swedish. If they were from Sweden, they probably would have had a record deal already, but anyway...
Their Belgian Metal of Death is reminiscent of Dissection, Sacramentum and Lord Belial. Even the lyrics and vocals could have been lifted straight from Storm of the light's bane, but even though Dark Ages isn't the most original band around (which they don't claim to be either!!!), they're just fucking great at what they do!
The riffs are great, the songs well structured, the lyrics very fitting to this kind of music and the production is good too. So for people into Dissection, Sacramentum and so on, there is no reason not to check this band out.
The CD-demo consists of three regular songs and a keyboard instrumental, played by drummer Xavier. This song is also very good, almost soundtrack like. For fans of Dissection this is a must, for others an opportunity to broaden their horizon.

Finster- Pandemonial

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:: Tswaert der Duusternesse ::

Who needs Dissection if you have Dark Ages?
This is the second official brew of these West-Flemish Metalheads and this CD just blows you out of your combats, dammit. Power as hell, thanks to the combination of powerful music/heavy production.
The Lux Mortis-demo wasn't bad at all back then, but this is still a level higher. Already from the first second of the first track, you know what you're dealing with. Pure Metal of Death, ladies and gentlemen! (For the ignorant: Swedish-sounding Black Metal à la Dissection, Lord Belial and Sacramentum drenched in an Iced Earth/Mercyful Fate-sauce).

The bandmembers play very tight- much more than in the Lux Mortis days, and you can hear that clear too. The keyfigures of Dark Ages are the brothers Santens. Yannick is a virtuoso as riffmaster (and check out that solo on When angels bleed, wowwww...!) and Xavier (aka Metalian) could be the little brother of Pete Sandoval. What he gets out of his drums...
Maybe one small remark: as for me, the bombastic instrumental Phantasmagoria of grief and pain didn't need to be on the demo. On the other hand, others say again that this piece is a perfect break between all that boiling violence. So tastes differ. For the rest, everything looks very nice: the cover (black/white and even glossy!), lyrics, etc. This band kicks ass too live, by the way.
And all hail the Metal of Death!!!

Grimgaert - Tswaert der Duusternesse

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:: Aardschok ::

The Belgian Black Metalband Dark Ages let us hear something from them already by means of the in 1999 released demo Lux Mortis. But that wasn't really a demo to be proud of. Luckily you can call The Shadowdomain an improvement in many ways.
First of all, the sound of this CD-demo is ten times as good as the debut and also their playing capabilities have increased enormously. For the rest, the songs are much more worked out this time. That's immediately obvious with the openingtrack Nemesis of Light which sounds very varied and mature.
The following titelsong is also of good quality and the nice, piercing guitars remind a lot of Dissection and Satyricon.
Phantasmagoria of grief and pain is an atmospheric instrumental and the long When angels bleed is a good song as well. The song is a l’ttle bit too long, but it's built up greatly and it's full of lurking suspense.
I don't have the slightest idea if this CD-demo is still representative for the present sound of the band because it's been lying on the shelves over here for months and it was already recorded in the summer of 1999. Despite that do I consider the demo still worth buying.

René - Veerkamp Aardschok

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:: Ablaze Magazine ::

The four guys of Dark Ages are definitely from Belgium although their music sounds damn Swedish. No wonder since their personal preferences lie in the same area. The Shadowdomain reminds a lot to Storm of the Light's bane of Dissection, especially the harmonies and the rhythmical aspect, although it's a bit less melodic and a little bit slower.
Concerning the lyrics, they also follow a very similar way. Dark Ages doesn't claim at all to be original, they just want to play the music they like the most. The CD contains four songs, the production is also ok and you can't come up with something negative concerning the cover artwork either.
Briefly, this is certainly a splendid debut (?!) although not that cheap.

Ablaze Magazine

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:: Spin City ::

By now, we have already noticed that Belgium has become a pure breeding-place for good Metalviolence. Demos are unleashed on the fan in a quick tempo, one better than the other.
Dark Ages certainly doesn't aim at a trendy public with their malicious, especially Dissection orientated, Black Metal sound. Next to those Swedish Gods, they also count Lord Belial and Sacramentum to their most important sources of influence.
It's a pity that a demo, and sometimes even professional cd's, are only momentary recordings, so lousy critics could dare to say that it doesn't sound tight all the time, but this isn't disturbing at all! When the guys get on stage, you can't notice a thing of this at all. If they can record their scorching live power on their third piece of work (they already released their debut demo Lux Mortis before) then the Metalfan could be in for a big surprise.

Johan- Andries Spin City

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:: Hellehond ::

This second demo of Dark Ages has surprised me pleasantly. I've already seen them play live, but again they were a surprise for me. This metal company plays Death Metal in the vein of Dissection, with also a touch of Lord Belial in it. And they do their job extremely splendid!
This is maybe the only critic I can give them: they do sound a bit too much Dissection, so on originality they don't score real high. But since Dissection appeals me very much, I don't have a problem with that. On the contrary...I say: Let me hear more!
And their sound is also good, midtempo is being alternated with fast and acoustic parts. For the rest there's also a keyboard instrumental. I hope to see them live again as soon as possible!

Gmork- Hellehond

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:: Mindview ::

Last year you could already read something about Lux Mortis, the first demo from the time Dark Ages was still a trio, and engaged more keyboards in their music. In the meantime a second guitar player reinforces them and this is, according to me, a good move.
There's quite some speed in their metalized black, which contains as well melodic riffs as hateful, raw vocals. The only exception is Phantasmagoria Of Grief And Pain, but that's the spherical, sombre, instrumental introduction to the long, spun-out copingstone of this dark piece of work, of which they define the content as Metal of Death.
And with about 20 minutes of music, a very nice booklet and a magnificent cover do you get value for your money.

Guy De Vos- Mindview

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