We know all too well what warms the icy hearts of Swedish beats MARDUK – love for Satan (and his legion of demons) and a peculiar sympathy for the German Wehrmacht and its bloody march through the battlefields of Europe. Accordingly, their albums are either thoroughly diabolical (remember the classic 'Nightwing' or the most recent 'Wormwood')or a harmonic mix of both (check out 'La Grande Danse Macabre' or 'World Funeral').

'Frontschwein' is in a league of its own, being only their second 'military' album (following the short but evil as Hell 'Iron Dawn' EP). It is also a bloody great example of MARDUK's power of endurance – the years only make them sharper and more focused. Though through to the unwritten rules of black metal, they manage to stay fresh and experimental even but are always heavy, iron clad and formidable as a Tiger II on its way to the Russian vastlands.

And while the infernal buzz of 'Afrika' and 'Falaise: Cauldron of Blood' is fairly standard, the album shines with some awesome headbangers like 'The Blond Beast' (check out its awkward rhythm!) и 'Doomsday Elite' (some splendid guitar work here).

'Frontschwein''s highlights are the slower, more dynamic tracks where Mortuus roars through his tales of blood, fire and death on the fields of Russia and the Ukraine. The extremely catchy 503 is dedicated to the panzer battalion s.Pz.Abt. 503 while 'Nebelwerfer' is a love song of sorts (not a song for a woman but for a World War rocket launcher).

The albums production is outstanding, the atmosphere is heavy with the sound of heavy artillery and crazied war speeches, the splendid design of the CD and the LP overseen by mainman Morgan himself.

The end is totalitarian as hell – the third (and probably final) part of the tracks dedicated to the WWII destruction of Warsaw (previous tracks are to be found in 'Plague Angel' and 'Iron Dawn'). 'Warschau III Necropolis' is far removed from the black metal sound, being another collaboration between MARDUK and long time industrial conspirators ARDITI – a deathly ambient march complete with screeching noise and distorted vocals.

Alas, this is not the type of music to be endorsed by the History Channel but we think it would fit there perfectly!