This is what black metal is supposed to be! You wouldn't think it's a very complicated thing to figure out, but too many miss the point. Amorphous blackened... stuff... that uses the trio of metal instruments is not black metal. Necromantia's Ancient Pride is, in its healthiest form. A Manowar cover may not be kvlt, but it serves to remind listeners that, as a metal sub-genre, this ought to be guitar oriented music. That's what we get to enjoy here: heavy, evil music. Yup, you gotta keep it musical. A tip of the hat to George Panou for grasping that in his drum performance. He can blast beat when extremity is appropriate, but is equally adept at kicking along with a song of more traditional metal or folkish structure. While holding true to the general pattern of a slower song, Panou still flexes his technicality by tossing some extra rolls, snares and cymbalage in there. Don't worry about a simpler song limiting him to basic beats! It won't happen. Necromantia has everything you want in black, and everything you want in metal. They perfectly understand the necessity of being rooted in the heaviness of the (sub)-genre's origins. At the same time, they update it with their own twists and flourishes of the soon-to-explode folky style. These Greeks should be recognised as true pioneers and essential listening for anyone seeking the truest essence of metal.