Sarke - Viige Urh (2017)

If I had any reservations or mixed memories of the third or fourth albums, there could be no such confusion with Viige Urh, a record I fell in love with immediately, frontloading some of the catchiest material of the band's entire career. Straight from the opening title track, it brought me right back to what I enjoyed about the debut Vorunah, only performed here with a little more zest and energy. Simple, memorable black/thrash, obviously derived from that Hellhammer school of through, or Darkthrone, NC's main band, but given added breadth and atmosphere due to the tasteful use of synthesizers to make a more dramatic chorus and also help contrast against NC's gritty vocal style, a beauty to the beast.

"Viige Urh" and "Dagger Entombed" are probably the best opening one-two punch combo for me in their whole catalogue, the former for its vital thrashing pulse, and the latter for that amazing flow of grooves and dour-sounding synth tones that almost catapult you back to some Medieval era. But this record has so much more in store for you, like the charging "Age of Sail" with that sweet opening lead guitar, "Upir" with its lopsided, lumbering groove, or the slow-rolling atmospheric doom of "Punishment to Confessions". While there is variety here, I feel that Viige Urh is one of their most unified records in execution; the songs just sort of flow together the best, not that they don't on the older efforts but here they feel more purposely planned for maximum resonance with the listener. Yes, they're pulling in some light prog rock influences among the styles they already dabbled in, but everything else is straight from the Sarke playbook that you'd recognize from the first four.

Viige Urh absolutely stomps, with a more vibrant production than its predecessor and a selection of songs that never let up in quality through the entire playtime. Where, say I could point out a few on Aruagint that wouldn't make a career playlist, I'd probably have to include this entire album. This is the first I grab when introducing someone new to the band, and it has a high rate of success, taking what's so vital about the first two and improving upon that hybrid style. Nocturno's voice is the icing on the cake, but the music itself here is strong enough that I can occasionally put that to the sideline. Amazing stuff that holds up as strongly today as the first time I listened.

Verdict: Win [9.25/10]

https://sarkeband.bandcamp.com/

Windir - 1184 (2001)

1184 seems like it's the first Windir album which is considered more of a 'band' effort. Valfar is still the chieftain of this clan, performing some of all the instruments (even some drum beats), but the rest of the roster has been fleshed out. Strangely, it doesn't seem like a step beyond the previous record Arntor, but a more mechanical experience churning out a similar product from the same ingredients. A large part of this is the programming, the kick drums here feel way too forceful and robotic and it's a tangible distraction from everything else, if not a deal breaker. I do like that Windir doubled down a bit on the black metal component, this is clearly trying to be more intense than the albums before it while still maintaining the amazing melodic scope Valfar created there.

And to that extent, 1184 delivers in spades. The instruments are much more level here in the mix, and it does feel more processed, so the melodies don't poke through like the glistening spikes of ice they once did. However, they are LEGION, and not a track throughout this experience lacks a rich bevy of riffs that will have you coming back to them. Nothing is skippable, but they're all delivered in this harder hitting, steadier experience which doesn't go for the dynamics as they did on Arntor. I will say, though, the heavier riffs are fucking rad on this, like "Dance of Mortal Lust" with its thrashing complexity, or "Destroy" which ups the hammers straight to your mullet. "Heidra" with its unforgettable intro melody, evil and twisting and treated with some of the best bass-line support in their catalogue. "The Spiritlord" has a bit of that simpler, mid-paced black metal groove that they don't often mete out, and I love the proggy bits that close "Black New Age", so there is a good variation between individual tracks, but most are singularly committed to their individual intensity.

In fact, the last six songs on this album totally crush the first two, they are all brilliant, and because the music is superior you can forgive the mechanistic drumming a little more. The vocals sound really great here, in this case I will say that 1184 is superior to either of the earlier albums. His rasp is more full-bodied and nasty. The keys and accordion are interwoven more directly into the music so it has more of an overall 'orchestrated' feel, you constantly pay attention to hear all the details as they bounce off one another. I don't like the production as much as Arntor, but apart from the drumming it definitely seers itself directly into your skull. I think on the strength of those last six tracks, this is probably the equal of Arntor, but if the drums had been less distracting and the production had felt more natural, it would rank among my favorite Norwegian black metal albums. It's up there, but not on the top shelf.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

Windir - Arntor (1999)

As soon as you hear the interchange between the accordion and the synths of "Byrjing" that herald Arntor, you know there's been a little sea change in the years since the Windir debut. As I mentioned on that review, it takes a bit of finesse to pull this stuff off without coming across as goofy self-parody, something that plagues a lot of folk metal oriented acts (even Finntroll, a band I happen to love). Valfar used his music to honor his ancestry, the heritage of his region, and took a lot of responsibility in doing so. The synths were actually pretty good on the debut, so I'm not surprised how well they're used throughout Arntor, but it's the rest of this production that has stepped everything up over its predecessor. I would be remiss to point out that this also largely a solo venture: he has numerous contributors for vocals, lead guitars, and the same drummer and clean vocalist (Steingrim and Steinarson) from the debut, but Valfar is in command.

Arntor is immediately a more developed, textured affair than the debut, with numerous improvements. The guitar melodies are still extremely excellent, some of the best ever from the Norwegian scene, and they have such a grasp of antiquity that the sound of them feels like you're in some epic poem or watching some documentary about Viking or Scandinavian culture. The bass lines are highly improved, with a good supporting groove that adds yet more character to the compositions. The vocals are still the same rasp, but they've been blended into the riffs so much better here that they sound excellent and never obnoxious. There are still clean vocals implemented, with some festive whoops and shouts, but it always feels timely and thematic to the whole. The male choir vocals on "Kong Hydnes haug" and elsewhere are superior to those of the debut, delivered with a more brazen confidence, and I also think the mix of the drums for Arntor is better, you can feel the kicks so much more, they're using some more warlike march rhythms and such and get a festive rock groove to them when the music moves at a more moderate pace.

There are a few of the dour clean vocal lines in tunes like "Kampen" which remind me more of an Otyg or early Vintersorg delivery, taken seriously but still a little dweeby along with that simple verse rhythm, so that's not my favorite stuff, but with the exception of that one track this is a godlike effort. Songs like "Saknet",  "Arntor, ein windir" and the epic Viking trance-inducing "Svartesmeden og Lundamyrstrollet" are among my favorite in their entire catalogue. I was never 'late' to the Windir party, they are a band I heard as soon as many other folks did, and initially liked, but in the last decade a lot of their albums have been growing on me with each new wintry season. Maybe that's tacky, and I'm an old fool, but this is when I really like to experience Valfar's music, and we've had a good coating of snow here in the New England area lately and it's just bringing out all the feels. Killer disc.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

Pyre - Where Obscurity Sways (2025)

When I look back at the metal albums that end up my favorites for a particular year, there's a pretty even division between those that are innovative and unique while staying catchy, and others that just do a great job doubling down on a pre-established sound and writing damn good songs. In the case of Where Obscurity Sways, the third full length from Russia's Pyre, it was the latter. The album's title is eerily prescient since I'm the only person I've even seen mentioning this one...perhaps it should be dubbed Where Obscurity Stays. But in 2025, this was the metal disc I returned to the most, like a death metal 'comfort food', because I enjoyed all of the songs a lot. It's also a great evolutionary stride for their own style, keeping consistent with its forebears while offering something new, something better for the band.

Pyre's still performing a sound rooted in the later 80s or early 90s, a perfect blend of Florida death metal like Obituary or Death, Dutch oldies from Pestilence and Asphyx, with a little bit of the Swedish style of an Entombed or Dismember, only with the guitar tone dialed back a little. You know it's still there, because there's a great chunkiness to the slower grooves, and a smooth roil when they pick up the pace. But it's nowhere near the gruesome or fleshy style they had on Human Hecatomb or the EP. The riff-lines and leads here are easily the best they've done to this point, whether it's the awesome verse grooves of "From the Stygian Depths" which recall Slowly We Rot, or "Murderous Transcendence" which is an amazing tune that hits pretty much all the bases, from sinister harmonies to flawless double kicks. The riffs in cuts like "Domains of the Nameless Rites" or "Pestilential Fumes" are just perfect throwback patterns, evil and memorable and set up against strong songwriting which emphasizes some variety at every turn.

There's a new drummer here, Oleg, and he's phenomenal, not that his predecessor was weak by any means, but I feel like the entire rhythm section, not just the percussion but also the bass mix, is way better balanced and creates a framework that could thrive independently, even without the awesome array of riffs that last the album's 35 minute duration. Where Obscurity Sways follows Chained to Ossuaries in having the smoother production than the older albums, but I can't imagine it any other way, the material is just suited to being mildly more accessible, and it's not like there is any commercialization or obnoxious level of polish...the music is still dark, mysterious, and classic in a way I just love my death metal records. I'm reminded a little of Necrovation's eponymous 2012 sophomore, not only because the aesthetics are similar, but also because it's just an awesome experience when I'm in the mood for the genre and want something well-written and balanced without being too ridiculous. I love this record. It's nothing new at all, but I would like for more people to get to experience it. My #1 for this last year.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.25/10]

https://pyredeathmetal.bandcamp.com/

Skyforger - Teikas (2025)

The last Skyforger record I covered was Kurbads back in 2010, and while that was a pretty damn good one, there were points where I felt the band was in danger of lapsing into some of the sillier folk metal tropes that a couple other bands have ridden to fame upon. That said, they definitely reversed course with the excellent Senprūsija in 2015, an absolute riff-fest which deftly combined the Latvians' black metal roots with some more accessible thrash and heavy metal moments what proved the most I'd enjoyed them since their late 1998-2000 era. I am telling you that because Teikas is an even better record than that one, possesses all the chops needed for greater recognition, an awesome cover, flawless production and a level of consistency you don't hear quite so often these days.

To a newcomer, I'd describe this as a Slavic alternative to Amon Amarth, with the same pagan and historical focus on lyrical matter, and about the same career length, only vested more in a black metal foundation rather than the death metal, and in the case of Teikas, better than nearly anything those Swedes have released in nearly two decades. However, the embedded sense of melodicism and extremity, the high productions standards, tight as fuck musicianship will no doubt appeal to fans of that more 'big budget' style of melodic death or black metal. Peter's vocals are incredible on this one, raving and barking in his native tongue with just the right level of effects to sound distinct from pretty much any other black metal band I can think of (maybe a Latvian Martin Walkyier?). Each lyrical line has so much impact that they actually compete in catchiness with the unending onslaught of memorable, melodic riffs that are hammered out across tunes like "Spēlmanis", "Zilaiskalns", and "Mājas kungs". There is a ton of versatility, from slower, churning rhythms, to the dissonance you expect of black metal, to the aforementioned storm of melodic tremolo picking.

Teivas sounds huge, but with every instrument audible, an appreciable level of crunch on the slower rhythm guitars, nice acoustics and ambiance on some segments which never wear out their welcome. It doesn't fully abandon the folkish, simpler stuff they were exploring a few albums before, but it's just so much more serious and refined and hard-hitting. Even the little folk instrumental with the harp and pipes is just catchy as all get out. It's honestly hard to imagine anyone into modern, dynamic black, death or thrash metal that doesn't mind the lyrics in another language not latching onto this material immediately, because it's immediate, bombastic and fulfilling, whether they're thrashing along with some clubbed pace or exploring a darker corner of their songwriting. Perhaps it's not as novel to hear this in 2025 as it was to hear Kauja pie saules in 1998, but this might actually be their most 'fun' album to date, accessible without sacrificing aggression, memorable through and through.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://skyforger.lv/lv/

Deströyer 666 - Never Surrender (2022)

If the biggest criticism I can level at Never Surrender is that it partly sounds like a couple of outtakes from Wildfire with some new ideas spliced in, then you know it's a pretty awesome time. And it is. I think nearly anything would have disappointed me after that masterpiece. The Call of the Wild EP left me a little dry, sure, but if Deströyer 666 had simply called it a day and hung up the bulletbelts, I would have had no cause for complaint, because they'd capped off a pretty strong career with a pinnacle of excellence and they'd only be headed back down the other side. To the great credit of K. K. Warslut and crew, they managed the descent with one scorcher of a follow-up that strikes a lot of the same nerves while revealing a couple new ones to bite into. 

The vocals aren't quite on the level of Wildfire, but they still sound pretty great, especially with the exciting gang shouts and the continued use of that reverb effect that makes him sound so sinister on the prior outing. Some of the speed metal elements here show a fraction more of a straight punk or hardcore feel to them, but at the same time there are tunes like "Andraste" where they even let a little of that old Hellhammer/Celtic Frost influence return. That track is actually a great example of some of the 'new' here, because they're using more of the ritual chant rhythms with cleaner vocals, and it contrasts very well with the harsher inflection and those tremolo-picked guitars. Some of the songs use a similar approach to the guitars but with a more mid-paced tempo, and it actually lends a darker and more epic vibe to the writing than even on Wildfire, but the shouts and the punk-laced riffs bring it right back to that exciting street level. There are some absolute banger riffs in tunes like "Guillotine", and "Grave Raiders", the latter of which sounds like almost a German heavy metal song via Grave Digger.

But there are definitely a few like the title track and "Rather Death" that would have fit right in on the previous album. Warslut does experiment with some even more Kreator-sounding vocals on the latter, and I'm half-convinced it's really Mille singing those parts. Elsewhere, he does some more pure trad BM rasps just because why the fuck not, and the closer "Batavia's Graveyard" even reminds me of a more twisted version of Rock'n'Rolf from Running Wild, with some of that epic Bathory Viking metal influence circa Hammerheart. It's these little nuances and tributes that prevent Never Surrender from sounding like a total unswerving sequel to Wildfire, and I appreciate them, because this is pretty powerful stuff and proves there is plenty of space left for them to explore and expand their overall sound. And maybe that's a deterrent for some who might have just wanted Phoenix rising or Unchain the Wolves, but to that I say: those albums haven't gone anywhere, you can still listen to them. I just love hearing an already good band hit a great stride decades into their career and if this record's any indicator, this trend is in no danger of slowing down. Phenomenal.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10]

https://www.destroyer666.uk/

Deströyer 666 - Wildfire (2016)

Wildfire might lean a lot more heavily into the band's thrash/speed metal side than any of the other Deströyer 666 albums, but it also feels to me like the album I had been awaiting from them for a quarter century. The most memorable and resonant production, the best songwriting, the strongest riffs, and for my money, the best K. K. Warslut vocals across their entire discography. In fact, this album is so fucking good that I was quite surprised it had any sort of divisive reaction at all; this is the once in a lifetime sort of effort that I spend endless time spinning, replaying individual tracks to hear the cool bits but also able to run through the whole 40 minutes. There's no fat to trim, it's one of the most distinct records in this whole blackened speed/thrash trend that's been the rage for the last 20 years, and it was my top heavy record of 2017.

It's got a fairly uniform style to it, but enough variation within to entertain endlessly. All performances sound amazing, but I think where this album differs slightly is in how the higher-pitched guitars are so prominent in the writing. Between the trilly speed metal lines and the bleeding tremolo picked melodies, this album reaches for the stratosphere like no other in their backlog. Bash in some bluesy, burning leads, loads of gang shouts and a diabolical, raving and barking vocal delivery that is K.K.'s best, and then a few twists and turns back into a more traditional black metal territory and you've got a real beast. Most of the cuts are instantly catchy, with a few like "White Line Fever", "Die You Fucking Pig!", "Artiglio del diavolo" and the title track which shot up to my favorite Deströyer 666 tunes within minutes of hearing them. Those brighter and yet still threatening guitar lines burrow themselves directly into your spikes & leather psyche, and the balance of the mix against the vocals is perfectly effective. The drums are crashing and splashing and yet the bottom end also thunders all over the place, with all manner of interesting beats and fills that keep your attention whenever you can break away from those riffs.

There is a hurried intensity to the whole record that's beyond engaging, and it hasn't aged a day in almost a decade since I've heard it. A few of the lyrics to songs like "Hounds at Ya Back" and "Live and Burn" are a little more cliche or straightforward, less scathing than others they've written before, but that's a minor complaint when the music itself and the EXECUTION of those lyrics is spot on. There's also a cleaner singing/guitar section in "Tamama Shud" the closer which will come out of nowhere, but it's a tribute to a fallen friend and shows the band is still capable of a surprise, not that any more surprise is needed than a nearly perfect record kicking back after seven years with a slightly modified style that feels fresh but not wholly novel since you heard traces of this on at least three of the prior full-lengths. It's the chef's kiss, if that chef just cooked your meal with a blowtorch. I mean I enjoy thousands, but this is one of those hundred or so metal records I'd be proud to be buried with.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.75/10]

https://www.destroyer666.uk/

Doldrum - The Knocking, or the Story of the Sound That Preceded Their Disappearance (2022)

The Knocking... is one of their rare, anomalous records that comes around and completely eradicates you, and then has you begging the question: why it wasn't more popular? Even a couple years later, I am baffled that this one hasn't stuck with more listeners. Perhaps it's just too obscure, wasn't advertised much, released in a limited batch of vinyl or cassettes, no CD (to my dismay). The alternative would be to believe that folks weren't interested in a brilliantly horror themed progressive black metal opus which rewards through repeated listens, and that is a thought I am just not willing to bear. A few members of this project were also in the band Gallows, which put out an awesome record in 66 Black Wings, with a more traditional, straightforward black metal style, but Doldrum is far more ambitious and interesting.

I'd describe this as sounding like a mix of late 90s/early 00s Opeth and modern, progressive Enslaved aesthetics, but it doesn't sound quite the same as either. I was also reminded of Spain's Foscor for some reason; I daresay, even a little modern Chewy-era Voivod finds its way in, or Norway's Virus. It's got well-defined rhythms that make full use of the percussion and bass, both of which are brilliantly executed through the album, and then covers those up with dissonant, creepy guitar chords and an excellent, rasped vocal to deliver a chilling and memorable experience that never gets tiring even after the 50th spin or so. The lyrics are poetic, sad and incredible, spinning a tale of 1800s American folk horror that feels refreshing and unique amidst all the usual haunted houses, zombies and vampires. It's all told in five tracks ranging from 5-9 minutes, totally under 40 minutes, never wearing out its welcome and incorporating quite a lot of range within that timespan. The Knocking... is bristling with riffs to die for, textured and immersive and fully supported by the rhythm instruments which are every measure as important. The keys and acoustics are also tasteful and non-intrusive to the central, pulsing black metal aesthetics.

I think this might have even been recorded in Salem, MA at the Gallows Hill studios, which gives me a bit of a personal connection as I met my wife there and used to live with her a few years, well before this thing came out but I always marvel at the music that comes out of the place. Largely through Kurt Ballou's God City studios, yes, but it's cool to know there are other venues. But if I'm being honest, this might be my favorite metal or 'heavy' album ever recorded in that city, it's stunning. This shit slays, and though I loved it the year it came out (and I'm still pining for a CD release!), it's grown on me even more in the interim...the towering riffs, corpulent bass lines, grooving drums, excellent vocals, all of which can surge in and out of a more traditional black metal rhythm whenever necessary, but more often errs on the side of the adventurous. I might tell you that I'd be sad if this proved to be a one-off, but at the same time, it'll be just as timeless even if the project disappears like its unfortunate subjects.

Happy Halloween!

Verdict: Epic Win [9.25/10]

https://doldrumbm.bandcamp.com/

Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats - Blood Lust (2011)

Electric Wizard led me to Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats, and I do admit I consider the latter to be an evolution on the other's sound, making it a fraction more mainstream and adventurous in the process since they bring in a lot of other 70s influences to the Sabbath style, namely the Beatles. If you heavily fuzzed out the Beatles, gave them cool horror lyrics and an edge, this might be the result, Uncle Acid is like the nexus between Hammer Horror, distortion-drenched pop rock and the Rise Above roster. They have never let me down on a single album, and though they've recently moved on to a more theatrical, progressive leanings, I still listen across all their catalogue fairly evenly, with the possible exception of the debut, which was decent but crushed by Blood Lust in almost every category.

From the opening notes of "I'll Cut You Down", the sophomore is just brighter and more creatively conceived, with a nice pomp to the bass tone, and a rhythm guitar that constantly evokes nostalgia and atmosphere no matter how primitive some of its trudging riff structures. K.R. Starrs' striking vocals give you an Ozzy vibe without really channeling the Prince of Darkness, or perhaps they live up to the band's moniker by sounding like a psychedelic drug trip giving a voice. The feedback and distortion used on these and the guitars are excellent, it gives you that washed out, raw feeling not unlike Electric Wizard, especially their records around this same period, but the difference is in the songwriting, these never feel like garden variety evil doom songs, the menace is "Death's Door" or "Curse in the Trees" is how they groove along like a dude in a pair of bell-bottoms kicking perceived scorpions around his feet. The bass playing is simple, but I like how it curves up to those fuzzy guitars, and the drum kit here sounds pretty awesome too, though like their peers, it never needs to be too technical or flashy...

Just lots of fills and crashing, and in fact they're interesting in psyche pieces like the proggier "I'm Here to Kill You" that they'd probably sound great even without the other instruments. But all combined, this band is a total force to be reckoned with, and Blood Lust is compelling throughout its 43 minute length, from the catchy chorus of the opener to the belligerent flow of "Ritual Knife", the glorious voo-doom of "Withered Hand of Evil", or the almost 70s pure 'eavy metal' charging of the main riff in "Over & Over Again". The one exception for me is the acoustic finale "Down to the Fire", it's nice to turn off the amps perhaps and does eventually seem like it's going somewhere, primarily because Starrs' voice works well with the louder acoustic guitars, but it feels half-formed to me and just doesn't add much to what is already a bananas great freaking record. I could live without that, but otherwise Blood Lust is one of the best albums in an obscenely consistent catalogue. Nothing complex, just let it hypnotize you until you resemble the woman on the cover.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.uncleacidband.com/

Electric Wizard - Witchcult Today (2007)

Witchcult Today is one of those records that feels so simple and primal that you could just plug in, write it and record it on the spot, and that's not something I can always get down with unless its in the hands of a band like Electric Wizard. The Brits had long mastered their most daunting and crushing extremes with records like Dopethrone and Let Us Prey, and by the later 00s were settling into this catchier flow of raw, effective doom and sludge which I found just as hypnotizing as their formative releases. There is nothing pretentious or boring here, the music can speak for itself, exceedingly basic in construction yet just catchy enough to sing along with; this isn't some exercise in vapid repetition like Jerusalem but something with just enough variation and experimentation to fully immerse the listener whilst slowly punching them in the face.

Noisy, huge walls of fuzz that cascade at a crawled pace through Sabbath-like doom licks, it's that 70s foundation taken out to a wasted extreme, with very little concern for blowing out your speakers or sounding produced or polished...yet, the levels do somehow find a balance. The bass largely just plods along with the rhythm guitar, but that latter is so enormous that it's not about to find any competition in the mix other than Jus Oborn's wavering, drugged vocals, and that's only because they are genetically constructed to pierce through them. The drums might as well be trash cans, as long as they can provide the attention span with a steady pace to follow the catchy drudging. I can't tell you that a single riff on this record is original in any capacity, and yet I still enjoy it that much, because there's such a hideous conviction to how they're delivered. To be fair, they do layer in some melodies and bluesy wailings (as in the bridge of the title track) to create more depth, but this is the sort of record I might hate in the hands of someone less 'cool', if that makes any sense?

There are definitely some more psychedelic escapes here, like the noisy, quivering feedback of the interlude "Raptus" or the the moody mire of "Black Magic Rituals & Perversion", which sounds like the most atmospheric trad doom ever, given some ritualistic clout by the crazy fills and percussion as it transforms into this fuzz-fucked behemoth, only to later transform again into tribal droning noise with what sound like some reversed vocal samples. This shit is some of the most frightening they'd sounded since the aforementioned Dopethrone, and thankfully ground things back on planet Earth with the closer "Saturnine" and it's super-bluesy Sabbath lick and vocals that saturate the audience in stoner bliss, even if their lungs are as clean as a cathedral. Witchcult is just a transitive experience, like some of its own predecessors, the sort of record you come away from different than you went in, staggeringly heavy in tone but strangely accessible other than the weird bits. Cool blokes, cool cover, damn cool tracks, Lovecraftian and occult themes, what fucking else would you sign up for?

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.electricfuckinwizard.com/

Black Hole - Land of Mystery (1985)

Black Hole are one of the earlier bands to latch onto that Sabbath sound and then morph it into something new with a heavy dosing of 70s prog rock influences, and Land of Mystery is almost a singular piece of inspiration from that mid-80s period where bands were more about the glam or intensifying heaviness that was being ushered in through the thrash metal, crossover and proto-death. I say 'almost', because we did have the Death SS and Paul Chain stuff, but this band definitely had their own style to it which has grown on me over the last several decades since I first heard it. No, this wasn't a record I picked up on its first run, but even in the earlier days of the internet metal buzz I remember it being referred to on numerous occasions and ultimately got a listen in.

This is definitely a spooky one due to all the sound effects and experimentation they use, in fact it does parallel the fellow Italian band Goblin if you sort of mashed them together with some old Sabbath. The vocals of 'Mysterious Future' Robert definitely emulate an Ozzy-like inflection, with some of the syllabic patterns similar, but the melodies and accent in the voice differentiate it, and he also plays around with it a lot more in the upper register, as if voicing different characters; and gets a pretty wistful, wasted sounding middle range when it tapers off. What really keeps it fresh though is how the instruments play along with it, both the guitars and bass are pretty intricate, the synthesizers, organs and pedalboard also play a bigger factor then you'd think. They'll just jam out on these little breaks as in the title track where all those instruments get to shine beyond the heaviness, and these are the parts in which you truly feel like you're in some old forgotten 'giallo' film being pursued by the mysterious killer and/or revelations.

They do have plenty of more evil, 'doom' riffs here as in "All My Evil" or "Blind Men and Occult Forces" which all might have appeared as B-sides from the Iommi camp a decade earlier, but even here there are embellishments like the creeping organs, elevated choir-like chants and that bass playing which felt like no other at the time outside of the prog rock. Another band I'd liken this one too would be the Japanese Flower Travellin' Band, they are a little more cinematic and instrumental and gave me more Iron Butterfly vibes, but I think fans of one of these would enjoy checking out the other. In fact, if you've got some patience, some love of any of the other groups I've mentioned here, or just old Italo horror soundtracks in general, then I would highly recommend giving your chance to experience this album. The songs are all aired out well, all 6+ minutes long, with interesting rhythmic breaks that give the impression of turbulent cinematic scenes, and it's genius enough that, had the band stayed the course, might have developed into something monolithic. They did reunite for some albums in 2000 and 2017, and they weren't bad, but a case of too little, too late. Land of Mystery was simply transcendent, but transcendent into a gloomy nether-realm of graveyards, demons, and masked necromancers.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.facebook.com/blackholedarkdoom/

Possessed - Revelations of Oblivion (2019)

There have been endless reunion albums out there, from bands both successful and obscure, but the return of Possessed had to be one of the most anticipated. Possibly its because they had never really had a lot of input during their early run, two albums and an EP, and the legend those generated became so disproportionately popular. Not for no reason, mind you, since they influenced multitudes of black, death, and thrash metal bands today, and are even occasionally cited as the originators of that middle category. But this is one that a lot of folks were very much looking forward to, especially after hearing the samples, and I've gotta say that Jeff Becera and his new crew deliver on all fronts, a record that might not hold up nostalgia-wise against its predecessors, but might honestly be the most structurally and technically the best piece of music the devil ever spawned through their brains and limbs.

After a tasteful and brief, cautionary symphonic intro which serves the purpose of placing the listener into a space not unlike the Omen films, they blaze straight through you with "No More Room in Hell", a tune that will quash all disbelievers with its evil proto-death metal tremolo thrashing and then the tortured Jeff Becera vocals which sound INCREDIBLE, as if the decades between this and the The Eyes of Horror EP just never happened. Not only does he meet the mark, but he puts an even more ghastly brand to them by honoring all the vocalists he influences with his own slightly more guttural accents and some sustained growls which are also quite cool. The guitar work is on fire, obviously more complex and lead-heavy than the old material, simply because a lot of the progeny of these influences have developed over the decades, and Daniel Gonzalez and Claudeous Creamer are no bullshit talents. The Emilio Marquez drumming is much more intense than on, say, Seven Churches, and that also makes some sense as they're returning to a world where things are just more intense.

This record is dominated by those faster-picked rhythms, which have the intricacy of some of the evil riffs you'll remember from later 80s Kreator or the Pestilence debut, and that's where the material is the strongest, especially where they whip into a moderately paced breakdown or a great, memorable lead. However, there are plenty of more mid-speed chunkier parts reminiscent of Beyond the Gates and tunes like "Demon" which play around with some newer ideas (at least for this band). And the track list is quite deep, granted you've got that symphonic intro and the "Temple of Samael" acoustic/dark ambient instrumental closer, but they rifle out ten original scorchers and for Possessed, that feels substantial (again, as famous as they got, they never put out a ton to begin with). The production is super clean, but for some reason it doesn't seem to leech away from the sinister feel of the songwriting which is entirely in line with where they were in the 80s. The bass is decent but maybe that could stand out a little more, otherwise the rhythms, leads, drums and Jeff all sound formidable.

Very few flaws...perhaps it does seem a little too mechanical and 'perfect' in places, especially when you listen through the entirety, but I think this is just an illusion created by the band's devotion to getting it right when they finally burned through their re-entry. Revelations in Oblivion is an unquestionable triumph, one that I'm not sure we'll ever hear replicated, and one that, for me, lives up to the first wave of their material, as heretical as that statement might sound. I mean I definitely prefer it to Beyond the Gates, but maybe it won't ever reach that cult appreciation of Seven Churches. Either way, I listen to so many bands whose style is partly derived from this one (alongside Slayer, Celtic Frost, etc), that I was absolutely thrilled to have the genuine article back in such fine form, even if it's just the one original member.

Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.facebook.com/possessedofficial/

Dawnbringer - Unbleed (1997)

Full disclosure: Unbleed is my favorite Dawnbringer album, but that does come with a few caveats. The production here leaves a lot to be desired, and I realize that eventually their style drifts far away enough from this debut full-length to almost seem like an entirely different band, so some listeners that might never have heard it, and joined in on their more directly heavy-metal oriented efforts, might be surprised. But this is the first album I picked up in a bargain bin at the place my friends and I would grab import metal CDs, with its curious, idyllic nature scene and waterfall, and despite thinking the mix was thin even back in the 90s, I was instantly smitten by the passionate contrast of ear-bleeding riff melodicism, atmosphere, and rasping vocals. I remember sharing this with one of my bandmates from that era (also on guitars) and I think the playing here might even have rubbed off on both of us.

It's still the same style as the Sacrament EP, which I only encountered 25 years after this, with passages of driving melodic black metal interspersed with flourishes of classical acoustic guitars, and this time out they dropped the stupid, boxed off vocal effects, for a more effective and traditional black metal rasp, and added in some tasteful touches of organ in tunes like "Waterbreath" that really elevate them. I'll say this now, if it had a slightly bulkier mix and some actual visibility, Unbleed might have been a record that fans of vintage In Flames or Dark Tranquillity would have attached to immediately, possibly Dissection, and I'd even wonder if later groups like the excellent Obsequiae had ever heard this, because there is that same sense for centralized melodicism in both, even though the execution isn't quite the same. Now, the mix isn't even really that bad, the guitars, beats and organs all mingle seamlessly, the acoustics tasteful and elegant. The bass isn't super standout here (neither on the EP) but you can hear it cruising below like a faster take on Steve Harris, simply subordinate to the bristling melodies in tunes like "Witness", which ironically also have a strong Iron Maiden influence.

But it's all a little narrow in tone, so some of the depth to the songwriting and guitar tone has to come in through the listener's imagination, which it does, but had this been beefed up then it might have wound up in a lot more stereos and headphones. Also, though the vocals are improved, when you listen up closely they still don't seem to be recorded perfectly, and they can come off a little overbearing next to the instruments, but nowhere soiling my admiration for this disc. It's not entirely a one-man show this time, I believe Chris had picked up another guitarist, and they work well in tandem, and it's really this excellent little US melodic black metal gem that I'm not sure many have even listened to. It seems like that whole scene was ushered over to the States by all the hardcore/metalcore bands that heard Slaughter of the Soul and then changed their styles to match, but in fact we already had Dawnbringer and a few others at the vanguard (and frankly, a lot better). You'll note that I love a lot of this band's output, but Unbleed has that personal connection which maintains the top spot for me.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

Chapel of Disease - ...and As We Have Seen the Storm, We Have Embraced the Eye (2018)

The third Chapel of Disease full-length (don't expect me to type out the whole title) is probably a smaller stylistic transition than what we got between the first and second, but instead a further refinement of their dedication to crafting atmospheric and melodic material. They really dig in here with the songwriting, making the tracks slightly more varied and developing more emotional impact, while adding a few more hard rock or heavy metal touches (the bluesy lead in "Null"). The production on pieces like "Song of the Gods" or"Oblivious/Obnoxious/Defiant" is chef's kiss awesome, with more polish and layers to soothe the stereo-seeker, but at the same time, the vocals are quite consistent with The Mysterious Ways... and thus it stays mired in that underground death metal aesthetic they cultivated on the prior releases...I am once again reminded of Tribulation had they taken an alternate path from the weirdly proggy The Formulas of Death and not gone quite as goth.

I do love that band and all their directions, mind you, so I also love this one, and this is the record that I would first recommend anyone check out; it's the wealthiest in terms of riffs and pacing, with lots of escapism created through the guitar-work that matches up with the swirling skies of the cover art. The melody here might be too engraved into the band's skeleton for passionate advocates of the debut, but it's so tasteful and transformative that you can't imagine tunes like "Null" or "The Sound of Shallow Grey" without it. The bass playing also steps up a little, it's a little less frontal than the other guitars or vocals, but there are loads of little grooves that enrich the rest of the band, where I felt on the previous album it took a slight backseat. There are some who will probably find the vocal performance to hinder the rest, surely at this point most bands would incorporate a lot of clean singing to match the direction of the writing, but I actually respect that they held back and gave us the same raucous grunts as before.

Previously, I would have cited the sophomore as my favorite in the Chapel of Disease catalogue, only ...and As We Have Seen the Storm (still not typing it all) has been the one to grow upon me over the years and it's another of those sublime, thoughtful mutations on death metal that I'll spin with a similar anticipation and wonder as Opeth, Stargazer, Horrendous, Tribulation, or other bands that have spun out their roots into something captivating, where they might not have contributed as well to the genre if they had stuck more with the fundamentals. This one is well worth tracking down if you just enjoy great guitar work and adventurous, unpredictable songwriting, even if it's not ultimately creating the most unique riffs at every step of the journey. Underrated for sure.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.facebook.com/ChapelOfDisease

Cirith Ungol - Dark Parade (2023)

With the news that Cirith Ungol has retired from touring after 2024, one can only wonder what the future might hold for the studio side of their collective career. But if Dark Parade ends up being the last that they record (and perhaps it isn't), they could retired with full confidence that they survived a quarter century hiatus and returned to rival all of their original output. Though my heart belongs to One Foot in Hell, there is no question that this record is the best-balanced, most impressively produced and heaviest proof of concept they've ever released, one that hooks you directly with its first and most exciting tune (unlike the Half Past Human EP before it), and then never really lets the listener go from its dour and overpowering paean to epic swords and sorcery, through the might of American heavy/doom metal!

This album sounds so fantastic that it almost feels like clones of the band from another dimension found the secret to immortality and transported themselves into our reality to continue the Californians' sound forward. Most of the guys in the band were in, what, their 60s, and sound like they can crush the fuck out of you with the simple squeeze of a hand. Tim Baker's voice sounds as mighty as ever, and I often find myself wondering how he can do that stuff without it hurting. (Maybe it does?) Robert Garven lays down a simplistic and straightforward set of beats but puts so much power into them you can just feel yourself lurching along with ever kick and snare, there isn't a single strike misplaced, and the bass has a great presence curving along with the slate-carved rhythm guitars, though it doesn't pop out as much as on the EP. The mix is loud, crystal clear but man do the guitars slam into you as they're chugging along, and the bluesy, burning leads are just dirty and dusty enough to send me flying back to my early teens and One Foot in Hell obsession. It sometimes feels like they tapped into my love of "Blood & Iron" and made a whole album just out of that.

"Velocity (E.S.P.)" is so awesome that I remember repeating it several times before I'd even pay any attention to the rest of the disc, which by the way, did not let me down. Other favorites include the glorious, fell majesty of the Moorcock tribute "Sailor on the Seas of Fate", the hammering "Looking Glass" which has verses that feel the perfect soundtrack to a smithy forging instruments of war, and the epic finale "Down Below" which has thunder fucking drum fills and some of Baker's most angry and bitter howls that seem to condemn the very listener to the implied underworld to perish eternally in its most sulfurous and fiery pits. With age, Cirith Ungol seems to get ANGRIER, and it's a beautiful thing, not that they can't lay in some nice acoustic segues or wa wa leads to evoke the wonder of 70s and 80s fantastical sword & sorcerous landscapes, but this one gets the best at its heaviest and though the songs might not rign out in my memory as much as "Blood and Iron", "Chaos Descends", "Nadoskor" or "Doomed Planet",this record deserves all the praise I could hoist upon that one, and TECHNICALLY you might say this is their peak performance. I mean if I were picking an album to introduce someone new to their sound, this is that choice. Can they top it? Will they? Do they even need to?

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.facebook.com/cirithungolofficial

Cirith Ungol - One Foot in Hell (1986)

One Foot in Hell was the first Cirith Ungol record I picked up on cassette, smitten after repeated exposures to the opening track "Blood and Iron" on Best of Metal Blade Volume 2, which I played so much that I infuriated all my family and another family that were camping together in New Hampshire over the summers. While that might be my go-to anthem among the band's catalogue, I was satisfied to find that the rest of the album is nearly on par, and for me the most evocative in terms of the dark fantasy/sword & sorcery that influenced the Californians both lyrically and sonically. They basically took everything great from the earlier album and covered it with a suit of iron, occasionally flecked with some rusty spikes to poison the blood of the impaled.

While other bands were ratcheting up the technically and extremity, Cirith Ungol were sticking to their formula and just making it more consistent and engaging. I mean, this album dropped in a year that also produced Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood, two discs that have done lengthy (and often competing) rotations as my metal GOATS, which make for quite a contrast against this simpler sound. This band was already becoming an anachronism by the mid 80s, but that's exactly what makes One Foot in Hell so damn cool, the stark and straightforward blend of riffs and atmosphere. I do actually think this one is less varied than its two predecessors, but the production feels a little more '80s' in line with a lot of the band's Metal Blade peers, there's more of a reverb and resonance coming out of the speakers that it exchanges for the jam room feels of its older siblings, and this works in tandem for the soaring, brooding chorus parts as in "Nadsokor". The whole album here feels like it was written and performed by orcs as they beat their siege machines together and prepare to roll across the realms, stamping out the civilizations of man, elf and dwarf...

...and for a 12 year old, that was MIGHTY FUCKING AWESOME. And still is! Whether because such an idea is timeless, or because I never stopped being 12, that's a conversation we can have another time, but judging by the band's continued popularity and the fact that the following three records they would produce over the 30+ years after this one, seem more like attempts to revisit this magic than that of the first two records. So I am not alone. Now, having heaped such praise upon this one, I can't quite say it's perfect, there's a little bit of goofiness here with the obvious party track "100 M.P.H.", which is fun in its outright, but sounds like they're trying to create their own "Ballroom Blitz", still keeping it well within the realm of the heavy metal lyrics, but had this one been replaced by another more serious piece like all its neighbors, the album would be even better than it is. Just saying. At least the lead at the end is really slick.

Otherwise, this is everything you want. Tim Baker's harrowing vocals launch over the mix like a stone heaved over some poor castle's wall by a trebuchet, especially in the doomiest tunes like "Chaos Descends" or "Doomed Planet", where the voice is such a weapon against the slower churn of the guitars. The rhythm guitar tone has a lot more 80s steel to it than the 70s-cloaked earlier albums, and I also think the lead guitar blends in better where it often seemed to bleed a little on the debut. There is a bit of passivity to the drums, if only because they are just crushed by the awesome weight of the riffs and vocals, but in a way that works in its favor, and I'd say the same for the bass...it doesn't have that pop to it like it did on the first two, but it definitely bulks up enough to enforce the rhythms, and I think that approach just worked better for this material.

One Foot in Hell is a bonafide American metal classic that deserves to be placed on the same pedestal as classics from Manowar or Twisted Sister, and to this day remains my favorite of the whole Cirith Ungol canon. It has one track that doesn't live up to the rest for me, sure, and it got absolutely buried the year it came out by so many other amazing releases, but it's totally timeless, sounding just as potent now as it did when I was hitting puberty. I think the band really hit the level they wanted musically, and where they would remain barring slight tweaks to production and aggression. A nice "Waaagh!" we could stick in the faces of our poseur friends and siblings who listened to Poison and Bon Jovi.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.facebook.com/cirithungolofficial

Aura Noir - Hades Rise (2008)

I'm a huge fan of bands like Sarke, Slegest and Darkthrone, and also enjoy the black & roll era of Satyricon or the newer Tulus records which also employ a very stripped-down aesthetic. There's just this very centered vibe with the clear mixes, honing each riff and vocal line to be sinister and effective without the smokescreen of ceaseless extremity and rawness. Those are both formidable devices in their own right, mind you, but I appreciate that this sort of sub-scene has developed parallel to the rest of Norse black metal's evolution. I bring it up because I feel Aura Noir also belongs in that realm, albeit approaching it more from the thrash embedded in their past works. Hades Rise might be the foremost example of this catchy simplification through their canon, and it also happens to be one of my favorite records they've released.

Right from the start, you're getting these amazing, memorable grooves and hooks which feel like the prodigy of that Hellhammer influence I've mentioned elsewhere, tempered with a little pure dirty heavy metal ("Hades Rise") or some Slayer-like licks (in the amazing "Gaping Grave Awaits"). All of the chords feel so carefully chosen and timeless, and there's little fat to be had, where a few of the past records would spit out savage hit-or-miss vitriolic progressions. The vocals have a dry hostility to them, as they're not too dressed up in effects, but at the same time you can capture all the emotion of the throats torn to each syllable, and it works just as well as Nocturno Culto's great performance on the Sarke albums. The bass is a lot more prominent and the guitar tone has an organic charm to it, delivering pure riffage rather than studio wizardry or technical wanking. The drums have a strong shuffle about them and aren't as acidic or splashy sounding as they once were. Clearly this is still thrash metal, there are plenty of classic licks of that vein paraphrased throughout, with even a little early dissonant Voivod influence ("Schitzoid Paranoid"), but you can also hear the punch-drunkenness, rock & roll bravado and the lingering darkness of the black metal throughout, or even a little death metal in the verses to "Iron Night/Torment Storm".

This is also extremely consistent, perhaps the Aura Noir record that I'm most willing to listen straight through. None of the tunes overstay their welcome, the lyrics are evocative and awesome, and there's enough variation within that black/thrash/rock aesthetic where it's recognizably coherent but never too repetitive...the more brash "South American Death", for example, with its looser leads and wall-like barrage of riffs is quite different than "Gaping Grave Awaits". It's a fantastic effort that has only grown with me through time, I remember first hearing both this and The Merciless and being hypnotized by them far more than the earlier efforts that my friends and bandmates had championed upon me. Hades Rise is not something they would quite repeat with the follow-ups, however it does inform their sound enough they retain a lot of its sticky riffing and crank up the intensity. Love this disc.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.facebook.com/auranoirofficial

Arcturus - Arcturian (2015)

Arriving a decade after Sideshow Symphonies, I recall Arcturian being a relief for me, as I felt I might never hear from this Norse supergroup again, its members so involved with other projects that saw a more direct level of success. When this finally showed up, I was instantly smitten, as it sounded like the band hadn't skipped one scatterbrained beat, with material just as wild, varied and weird as La masquerade infernale or its 2005 predecessor, only catchier like the records I greatly preferred throughout their career (The Sham Mirrors). It's another fusion of black metal, classical influences, and experimentation, but matured and really well balanced to appeal to fans of all their catalogue, with little nods here or there to particular tracks or records from the past, but still feeling forward, grasping at new tricks as early as the tubahorn that blares through the opener "The Arcturian Sign".

And though that's probably my least favorite tune on the album, it's still an intense exhibition of the members' individual chops, like Hellhammer's percussive flexing and ICS Vortex' yowling, atop the sinister symphonic swells that tether it to the genre that birthed it. The songcraft dramatically improves with the lush, swirling "Crashland" and its beautiful strings, or "Warp" which sends the band out across the universe with its infusion of beats, ambiance, and weird sci-fi keyboard sounds, something that was surely hinted at through lyrics and tunes in the past, but here becomes the most apparent. "The Journey" goes even more electronica with those continued seasonings of world music, multi-instrumentation and odd but soothing whispers and choirs that stretch across the atmosphere like a membrane. There are even tunes here like "Archer" or "Pale" that wouldn't have seemed out of place on the debut album, so it's quite cool how this feels like an ouroboros that hears the band swallowing its own tail once venturing past its own brain area.

The instrumentation is supreme, from the little blitzes of flagellant leads to the stark orchestration and aforementioned drumming that is at times as fast and hard-hitting as anything else HH has performed. The production is airy but clear, capturing both the depths of space and the Renaissance quirkiness the group seems to shift between. There's still a little bit of the goofiness you'd expect, particularly in Vortex's vocals and the carnival-like structure of the closer "Bane", but it never pushes it too far so that it takes over the more serious side, it's more cynical than silly. This was just an awesome comeback, the first year or so I might have considered it their best work, but I think The Sham Mirrors still holds that honor, with this a worthy second. Sadly, the band has taken another ten year hiatus from the studio by this time, but they've stuck around for some great live performances, and there are buzzings of new material to come. If that's going to be the cycle, where I get new Arcturus every decade, then I suppose I'll take it.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.25/10]

https://www.facebook.com/arcturusnorway

Arcturus - The Sham Mirrors (2002)

 My favorite of the Arcturus records, The Sham Mirrors takes on a sort of opposite side of the coin to La Masquerade Infernale. Where that sophomore possessed a sort of oafish charm to its experimentation (for better or worse), this one is every bit as varied, yet it's got a much more serious artistry about it, a perfect fit to its lyrical insinuations both social and cosmic. This also embraces the more atmospheric, melodic black metal of the debut and mixes that back into the weirder leanings they went on to pursue, and even the electronics of Disguised Masters find a suitable purpose where they are chosen to appear. Ultimately, this album is an adventure, captivating throughout its 43 minute run-time, with highlights and surprises found in each of the seven tracks. Does it still resemble Norway's Mr. Bungle? To an extent, but only in how smoothly the musicians can capture all these stylistic transitions into a coherent package, to the point that they seem as if they always belonged together.

"Kinetic" is a great opening piece, with a nearly even distribution between choppy metal guitars, circus symphonic, loads of electronic beats and samples, proggy bass lines, and a melodic chorus to die for, which would have been a hit on any more mainline black metal band's record. Rygg's vocals are still just as quirky as the past records, but they're not mixed to go far over the top into self-parody, and I also love how they've sniped in a lot of the harmonies. "Nightmare Heaven" gives you this piano and vocal-driven set up, complete with guitar melodies, only to transform into this unforgettable, quivering trip hop joint which might have appeared on a Silent Hill soundtrack. "Ad Absurdum" is another track that feels an evolution directly from Aspera Hiems Symfonia, packed with percussion real and programmed, spacey and eerie melodic chords, and a blissful bridge. I'm not going track-by-track through the whole thing, but it's an absolute banger...again, put something like "Collapse Generation" on Dimmu Borgir's Enthrone Darkness Triumphant and a much wider audience would have drooled over it. This is an absolute case of taking a step backwards and forward at the same time, and whether the band is conjuring up a symphonic BM storm or a keyboard lullaby, it all fits.

The production here is where a little of the polish comes off. It's trying to juggle a lot of instruments, effects and ideas together, and to its credit makes a lot of that clear, but there are some places where the swarthier rhythm guitar distortion seems a little too crunchy, or the drums get too machinelike where they would have benefited from an organic touch. Still exceptional enough for what it's pulling off in the early new millennium, and there's a later remaster on Prophecy Productions which tweaks it a little for the better, but if there are imperfections to be had, several of them are the mix. This album is so fucking good, with so many memorable moments, like Ihsahn's guest vocalist in "Radical Cut" or the frilly haunted carnival synthesizers of "For to End Yet Again", that it can be forgiven any of these minor transgressions, because it's just something so ahead of its time and yet never heard since, a distinct and unique hybrid musical lingo that you only hear from all these proggy weirdos birthed from the church burning scene. May their tongues speak it forever.

Verdict: Epic Win [9.5/10]

https://www.facebook.com/arcturusnorway

Satan - Earth Infernal (2022)

If this were any other band, I might say that Cruel Magic would be a tough act to follow, but I was 100% confident that whatever Satan put out following that wouldn't disappoint, for the simple reason that they never have. And would you know it? Earth Infernal is another absolute killer of a record from one of the heavy metal bands on Earth that gives you the most for your money. A smart, scorching effort with all the speed and ambition of their other post-reunion works, and a potent mix that recaptures the roomy clarity and warmth of the three that preceded it. Dave Curle, who had engineered their last batch of albums as well as some of Blitzkrieg's modern output is still on board, so it's in the same wheelhouse even though Dario Mollo doesn't seem to have been involved this time around.

Other differences are that there's a slightly more occult focus on the lyrics here, though just as sharp and interesting as what they'd been writing for a decade before it. Musically it's still in the camp of the slick, rapid-fire rhythm licks contrasted against Brian's soothing and cautionary timbre, leading off with a couple absolute killers in "Ascendancy" and "Burning Portrait", and not taking a breather until the mid-paced rager "Mercury's Shadow" with a psychedelic and acoustic intro, and not for the last time on the album ("Luciferic"). There are no shortage of standout tracks, and some of the favorites are nestled deep in the roster like "Poison Elegy" which has some 70s epic hard rock vibes, or the ritualist crushing finale "Earth We Bequeath". But whether the band are gunning along at a maximum clip or taking their time with some moodier track, it's another album with nothing you'd really want to skip, there are compelling guitars all over the place, epic vocals, and one of the best rhythm duos in the business.

Satan has almost gotten so good that it's frustrating, and if there's any flaw here, it's that Earth Infernal doesn't really advance the sound at all beyond the albums before it. Make no mistake, it's still excellent, performed as well if not better than the other reunion albums, but it does arrive at a junction where you might expect them to branch out a little more, as they did when returning from their decades-old slumber. Not that it's necessary for them to evolve one iota, but you don't want your style to become too monotonous, and while Earth Infernal is too good to fall into that trap, another couple albums in the same vein as these last ones might push them in that direction. There are subtle differences in writing and production, and even a dip or two back towards older hard rock/metal that poke through, but I'd be fully on board with the Brits taking a few more risks to fatten the envelope of what they have to offer. A minor quip, though, because if you've enjoyed the band up to this point, then I'm sure you will find Earth Infernal utterly fucking awesome. Because it is.

Verdict: Epic Win [9/10]

https://www.satanmusic.com/