SARGEIST - LET THE DEVIL IN

SARGEIST
LET THE DEVIL IN
MORIBUND

I have already reviewed this album for Currents but since I had done a newer one for another site that wasn’t used I decided to publish it here. Enjoy.

For good or bad Sargeist have always travelled under my radar. Never have I witnessed the grandeur of "Disciple of the Heinous Path" or "Satanic Black Devotion". Never, as far as I can remember, until now.

And what a good way to start! There's not much around as refreshing as a cup of black coffee in the morning as "From the Black Coffin Lair", the third song on "Let the Devil In". Heavy on the mid paced hooks it is. Other highlights are "Nocturnal Revelation" and of course the title track. In fact, it's tough to find a soft spot on this one, the band's third album.

Sargeist, as much as they like to break out in speed everyone once in a while, rely heavily on the midpaced madness. I'm glad they do as this album flows really well from start to finish. Sounds complete and not as much a clutter of songs as it sounds like a book with 10 chapters. Each one fitting nicely in line with the previous one.

They've gone over the most difficult mountain, the sophomore one, and with their third full moon it is obvious that Sargeist is a band that one has to keep an eye out for in the future.

DESULTORY - COUNTING OUR SCARS

DESULTORY
COUNTING OUR SCARS
PULVERISED

Those that listened to Death Metal back in the early nineties will remember Desultory. The ones that didn't probably will not remember them so much as the kvlt never really caught Desultory. Perhaps I'm wrong but I've never seen "Into Eternity" go for crazy amounts on eBAY. In short, it's more likely than not that if you're under 25 this album will be your first proper introduction to Desultory.

"Counting Our Scars" is a fine introduction. No, scratch that, it's a damn good introduction to Desultory. Okay, the album hasn't really settled in here yet but if we just speak about comebacks in general this album ranks up with the best of them. The album is classic Desultory but at the same time "modern". It's classic Swedemetall with a hint for melody that people will fall head over heels for. Well, people that have a soft spot for this, anyway.

In the age of retrogression "Counting Our Scars" stands above many, if not most. Check it out if you want a modern tasting mid-nineties buffet.

BLACK WITCHERY - INFERNO OF SACRED DESTRUCTION

BLACK WITCHERY
INFERNO OF SACRED DESTRUCTION
HELLS HEADBANGERS

The men have arrived! The big men have arrived! This, Inferno of Sacred Destruction, is the third deathstrike of the unholy trinity that is known as Black Witchery and consists of Impurath on bass & vocals, Tregenda on guitars & Vaz on drums.

The main ingredients are all the same really but there are changes. Perhaps most notable right away are the vocals of Impurath. His screams are a bit more rough now than back on Desecration of the Holy Kingdom and Upheaval of Satanic Might. There's no power lost, far from it, perhaps even more power in it. It feels like he's right in your face, and there's a heavy "fuck you all!" feeling in it.

Before putting Inferno… on I was hoping it was a bit more like Desecration… than Upheaval… when it comes to the production and thankfully it is. Upheaval… was chaos whereas this is symmetric violence.
There are changes here and there, small but noticeable, and the cover of Conqueror's "Kingdom Against Kingdom"… Well, it just seals the deal, really.

Black Witchery has always been there continuing what bands like Conqueror, Blasphemy and Beherit began. On Inferno… its like there's a bit more Beherit than before, a bit of the ritual feeling one feels when listening to Drawing Down the Moon. It lies in the background, not upfront. It's in the details.

CRUCIFYRE - INFERNAL EARTHLY DIVINE

CRUCIFYRE
INFERNAL EARTHLY DIVINE
PULVERISED

What we have here is something I would have loved twenty years ago, 13 years old and just beginning to grasping the concept of Death Metal & all things devil worship. OK, I still like it but the love isn’t there. This is good stuff but...

...Crucifyre gives us thrashdeathmetal with enough occult references to catch the attention of the young and aimless. This music corrupts the young. Catchy enough to keep you interested and namedropping enough of the gods mentioned in “The Goetia” to get your riled up in all things black candles and altar.

This band is armed to the teeth with guys that were there in the beginning! When the old gods were young and the Necronomicon had not been used to death in Death Metal! When Venom were one of a kind!

Do you want devil worship Thrash Metal? If you are looking for the exact opposite of what Deathspell Omega seems to be all about then look no further. Horror Movie Satanic Metal ov Thrashing Death is here! HAIL SATAN! BELIAL PRAISE!

SERPENT NOIR - SANGUIS XI

SERPENT NOIR
SANGUIS XI
DAEMON WORSHIP PRODUCTIONS

Serpent Noir is an international conspiracy conspired by, amongst others, members of Embrace the Thorns & Ofermod. I can only imagine that their intention is to channel forth the Draconian Current through the medium of occult Black Metal.

Serpent Noir is all about the mid paced madness. There are outbursts of high velocity like on "Invocation of Sorath" but most of the time it's rather laid back blackish Death Metal.

Although Michayah of Ofermod handles the drums in Serpent Noir and both bands blend together Death Metal & Black Metal, I don't think he is responsible for the drums on "Sanguis XI". According to the band this release has been ready since 2006 and I believe Michayah joined later on.

So, rest assured that Serpent Noir is in no way a copy, or a continuation, of Ofermod. I am sure, however, that the people that have been waiting anxiously for another release from Ofermod since 2008's "Tiamtü" will find the wait a bit easier as both bands seem to go down similar paths both musically and spiritually.

COUGH - RITUAL ABUSE

COUGH
RITUAL ABUSE
RELAPSE

When I first heard about Cough I was pretty sure this was some new wave indie stuff. You can imagine my surprise when I discovered the sludge and filth these guys are all about!

Formed five years ago and already on their second album these guys really capture the drug-filled atmosphere bands like Electric Wizard have become known for. It's not surprising that some call Cough U.S.A.'s answer to Electric Wizard. There are striking similarities but in some parts Cough surpass Electric Wizard when it comes to the filth.

I reckon it's going to be a close call between Ritual Abuse and Black Masses who will get more teens to abuse narcotics while worshiping grim lords. Cough makes it clear that if Electric Wizard is going to keep it's ass on the drugthrone it's going to have to beef up the hits from the bong.

Cough has a split with The Wounded Kings out next month through Forcefield Records. Cough’s side contains a single track lasting nineteen minutes. I’m pretty sure that might be just enough to send a few over the edge.

MOON - LUCIFER'S HORNS

MOON
LUCIFER'S HORNS
WITCHING HOUR PRODUCTIONS

Moon, like anything else the man behind it, Cezar, touches, becomes an institution. A legend of its own. For the last twenty years he has building a tower of Blackdeath and with each release he has added a new brick.

With Lucifer's Horns it's business as usual. Although eleven years have passed since Satan's Wept this album feels like a continuation of what already was in motion, not a new beginning. What Moon gives us here is a glimpse into quality Polish Blackdeath. Fans of Cezar's earlier work will not be disappointed and the newcomers will yearn to know more.