ARSONIST LODGE: “Iänkaikkinen, pysyvä, muuttumaton pimeys”

Although having possessed a copy of Perkele, antikristus ja väärä profeetta in my shelves for a number of years, I’m not sure if I’ve ever given Arsonist Lodge a chance, but luckily I had the opportunity to see what the band is about on their new full-length Iänkaikkinen, pysyvä, muuttumaton pimeys, which, in fact, is their debut album – ten years after the band’s foundation. If it took a long time for them to complete a full-length, so it did take time to write a review of it, for I’ve had really mixed feelings about the album which has delayed and delayed the writing. And I’m still not sure where I stand with this record, because half of the music seems lacking, while the other half simply beats every other Finnish effort in the field this year.

To demonstrate the frustration I have with this album, let us consider the first four minutes of the album. Things start with “Intro”, a nice one-minute, solely sung intro. Okay, I can take that. Next up is “Unleash Armageddon”, so now things must really pick up, right? But the first minute of the song is weirdly diminished in a way that you barely hear a simple drum beat somewhere in the distance along with a rumbling guitar. When the true sound kicks in along with vocals, the band is almost unleashed, but not quite: there is still a confusing, humming sound on top of the instruments, portending harsher things to come. Just when you think that now all hell is loose, the song ends before the three minute mark.

Then, fortunately, we get into the real meat. “Instrument of All-Evil” is such a menacing, devastating piece of black metal that I seriously haven’t heard so grabbing a composition from the Finnish soil in a while. Arsonist Lodge balances somewhere between straightforward, sheer, Satanic killing and convulsing, hooking, almost groovy rhythms. This pure joy continues for a couple of tracks, but then there’s the interlude “Prayer I” which kind of ruins the flow the band had finally captured. Two long, great and even epic black metal pieces (of which I just must mention “The Arsonist” in its completely thrilling clean vocals and organs) compensate after the interlude, but I can’t help feeling that this album never really got off the ground, and that it’s held back with all sorts of unnecessary features.

That said: what a perfect, 5-song extended play this would have been! The production, surprisingly warm yet evil (which would fit vinyl format admirably), is nailed very well, the band plays smoothly together and there’s a seriously sinister atmosphere (much thanks to the vocalist’s possessed output). The music reeks of authentic devotion and Satan. But, as it stands as a full-length which includes the intro(s) and the interlude, and thanks to which there’s a shortage of real material, I can not rate Iänkaikkinen, pysyvä, muuttumaton pimeys much higher. A really good and promising effort, which would have worked better either as an EP or as a fuller-lenght.

3.5 / 5

ANAL BLASPHEMY: "Perversions of Satan"

Laden with a hefty amount of such characteristic words as anal, blasphemy, perversions and Satan, it takes no many guesses to figure out the general framework in which Anal Blasphemy executes its black metal; or if it still doesn't ring your bells, then take a look at the cover art which ultimately reveals that Perversions of Satan, the band's third full-length, is a dirty, uncompromising mixture of death and black metal to its very core.

In reference to their older material, though, I must confess I'm not hundred percent familiar with their back catalogue. I've grown fond of Molestor Kadotus' other project Musta Kappeli ever since the 2007 demo and tend to follow every movement in that camp (some very good atmospheric forest black metal, if you didn't know already), but somehow the blatant morbid execution of Anal Blasphemy hasn't hit the right spots in me. However, on Perversions of Satan I see evolution into a direction which I'm able to appreciate more. It seems that along with the rusty, nicely clumsy and just plain ugly underground death/black metal there are many hints to more careful composing: these songs aren't just about ravaging to every song's end in as evil and fast manner as possible, but about incorporating more depth and seriousness via rather slow pace and latently sorrowful melody constructions. The element of shivering nostalgia culminates in "Lust for Satan (Sexual Worship)" which features the Anguished mastermind delivering inhuman, ice cold female screams on top of wistful riffing. The result of these combined elements is something very morbid and fucked up even in my ears and I think I've heard plenty of weird stuff in the noise / PE circles.

The band's delivery is constant ever after the Pekka Siitoin sample in the intro (he's such a legend in Finland, just see the recent Uncreation's Dawn album or the new Rivologi tape for more), and the cruelty doesn't end until the last doomy chords of "Altar of Indulgence". In the afterglow, I realize I've come across many sweet ideas on this album. There's absolutely nothing truly innovative here, and that's surely acknowledged by the band, so your taste in music has to have a free spot for some general, disturbed Satanic pummeling to appreciate Perversions of Satan. For me, the album wouldn't be the first choice if I was to insert some menacing death/black metal to the player (that honor would most likely be Archgoat's), but is nonetheless a competent whole that is bound to have a certain listener base – a base who can add at least one star more to the score I've given.

3 / 5

PURE EVIL: "As Blood Turns Black, Mankind Shall Drown in Despair"

On previous albums, Pure Evil has been known for roaming the territories of underground death metal in a really Satanic manner, and in spite of getting albums released via black metal related labels it wasn't until the dawn of As Blood Turns Black, Mankind Shall Drown in Despair that the band adopted clear black metal influences: so clear actually that you couldn't really figure out this album is Pure Evil (though the vocals are still rather low-ranged growls), because this really is Pure Evil gone Pure Black Metal.

From the first seconds of the eponymous introduction 'til the very end we've got some freezing tremolo picked riffs evoking hatred with an edge of melodic nostalgia. The soundscape is rather harsh in its basslessness, but it is only fitting considering the totally different grounds on which the compositions have been built this time around: instead of any two-minute death feasts, there's something like "Slain by Frost" which runs for continuous eleven minutes, comprising adventurous riffing and various beats to back up the journey in some very cold atmospheres. Even "Tapa Minut" ("Kill Me") with its quite brutal message deals with a lot of piercing melancholy which only brings some seriousness to the issue at hand: I doubt I would've been as affected had this been a mere menacing piece with less varied riffing, because we've all heard that before.

One feature that really surprises me here is that these damn riffs and melodies actually get stuck to my head. It doesn't happen with many new albums nowadays, so whatever is the secret to Kryth's ability come up with memorable songwriting, I raise my hat especially since Pure Evil hasn't played in this style ever before. But surely he's gotten the skills from Korgonthurus, a band that would actually be the best comparison to Pure Evil as of 2012. I do wonder if this was just a one-album experimentation and sure wish it wasn't since I, as a sucker for Finnish black metal done this way, enjoy As Blood Turns Black, Mankind Shall Drown in Despair even a lot more than the previous death metal recordings.

4 / 5

FÖRGJORD: "Sielunvihollinen"

You can not blame Förgjord for overproductivity – during the over 10 years of its existence, the project hasn't basically released but a few demos and full-lengths, Sielunvihollinen being the band's second in the latter category. I have fond memories of the debut Ajasta Ikuisuuteen which was a fantastic exemplar of piercingly cold and harsh Finnish black metal, and it is to my great pleasure to see that their newest offering is in the very same spirit: crude, 4-tracker black metal reeking of hate and contempt with an added touch of melancholy.

The album does start a bit differently due to its incorporation of kantele which evokes a rather national, folkish atmosphere on the intro ”Suokaste”. Soon after, ”Ei Kuoleman Arvoinen” brings on the fierce black metal, and fierce it is to every extent of that word. While the focus here is on the overall punishing raucousness, there's a slight sense of otherworldly magic in one of the song's riffs, making it actually one of the band's best tracks. ”Musta Lintu” and ”Niin Lihassa Kuin Veressä” continues the same footsteps, mainly dwelling in ass kicking, rough riffs and ultimately raspy screams, until the songs conclude in rather epic measures, usually meaning a shrilling tremolo lead melody on top of fast blasting. The ominous and crawling ”Tulilahti 1959” is a brief deroute from the paradigm (both musically and lyrically), after which ”Sudeksi Syntynyt” rips all wounds open with its consciously monotonous pace, culminating in a sweet use of latent synths. The eponymous ”Sielunvihollinen” is structurally very close to the songs on the first half of the record, and ”Viimeinen Myrsky” closes the deal with some ethereal kanteles in its end.

The main lyrical concept here, I believe, is the reverence of old Finnish paganism over the inferior Christianity which gets it deserved mockery on various tracks on Sielunvihollinen. This theme combined with the fittingly swampy forest black metal creates an authentic spirit that is always enjoyable to experience. The only proper glitch is that, although being convincing throughout, there's no such goose bumps inducing moments that Ajasta Ikuisuuteen offered on tracks like ”Surman Säkeet” and ”Itseensä Kahlittu”, but then again, this might be just because I haven't given Sielunvihollinen enough time yet. Keeping this in mind, I'm already happy to give as generous score as you can see. The beauty of Förgjord lies and has always lied in that it is so authentically raw and natural yet it doesn't actually sound like any other Finnish band, and Sielunvihollinen is no exception from the band's individual route.

4 / 5

NATTFOG: "Mustan Auringon Riitti"

After an abounding exposure to profound and philosophic Finnish black metal of late, such as the Saturnian Mist debut Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan and Rahu's The Quest for the Vajra of Shadows, it is nice to return to a rather earthly and national take on black metal in the form of Nattfog's first full-length Mustan Auringon Riitti (”Rite of the Black Sun”). The very first seconds into the introductory ”Blindig Fog” reveal a folkish atmosphere akin to Drudkh, as a melodic yet distorted pattern is vividly played on top of a tom drum and a tambourine. When it all fades out, the sounds of rain appear along with distant howling, foreshadowing the actual black metal content of the album that shows its face soon after.

The music does not play with tricks and twists: mostly mid-tempo beats back up the riffs fluctuating, or balancing, between nostalgic sorrow and hate. This is very well described in the promo letter accompanying the album, as it reads: 'Mustan Auringon Riitti is full of melancholic soundscapes but with a strong sense of proud warspirit, much like is the nature of a typical Finnish man'. Considering this statement, it comes as no surprise that Nattfog's sound here can be linked to their native counterparts Sargeist, Satanic Warmaster, Horna and Goatmoon, among many others that share the similarities both in their musical and lyrical content: the occult aspect becomes very clear on a track like the eponymous ”Mustan Auringon Riitti” that very elaborately depicts the process of a ritual, or on ”Mieleni Mustissa Merissä” (”In the Black Seas of My Mind”) that has a very cosmic, metaphysical approach to it. The national side, then, is apparent on tracks like ”Path of the White Wolves” of which title gives a hint already.

Back to the audial content, one should not indeed expect any moments of utter amazement: the album contains equally strong material throughout its six black metal tracks, concluding in the 8-minute Burzumish synth ambient piece ”Kaksitoista Askelta Luvattuun Valtakuntaan”. Similar inclusions of ambient appear on the black metal as well: the soothing, ethereal keys on top of the metal instrumention on ”Kosmisen Usvan Ympäröimänä” work to great extents. It is to be remembered that when I say there's no proper moments of astonishment on the album, it doesn't mean I wouldn't regard Mustan Auringon Riitti a truly successful and durable experience. I've had the album in regular rotation for many weeks and I don't seem to get enough of it even by now: it is a consistent record to which is always safe to return. Hence it is easy to give recommendations for the album, especially if you are as fond as I am of the similar Finnish groups mentioned earlier.

4 / 5

BALANCE INTERRUPTION: "Era II: Deserts of Ashes"

The recent release batch from the Finnish black metal label Hammer of Hate derivated a bit from their common routine. While the new Sacrilegious Impalement was of course a logical release, Desolate Shrine offered old school death metal, and Balance Interruption here provides their second industrial black metal full-length entitled Era II: Deserts of Ashes. Like Evangelvm's debut from last year, Balance Interruption hails from Eastern Europe, another rather new area in the label's history after the focus on Finnish bands.

Now, to the meat. Era II: Deserts of Ashes will not appeal to the fans of the most old school of metals. This album is a machinery where drums are executed with ultimate precision in a polished soundscape while guitars provide either harsher approach amidst blasting or somewhat slower discordant menace. Vocals are quite general screaming and growling though at times it turns into a robot-like voice. The band's instrumentation is handled very well so that there's definitely no question of their professional musicianship, hence the modern black metal here crushes and convinces.

What then comes to the industrial elements, well, it's very much up to the listener, and I'd consider myself among those who really don't like it. Industrial can be done greatly within the borders of black metal but too often I can not take some techno beats seriously amidst the metal, and I'm getting similar feelings of embarrassment when the circus of the beginning of "Chaos Reign" begins. Luckily, Balance Interruption keeps the industrial elements in minor role for the most part so that the album is overall an enjoyable ride throughout.

Combining the not-that-awesome industrial with the compositional work that doesn't exactly shine with innovation nor uniqueness, Era II: Deserts of Ashes isn't what I prefer to listen to, but I've heard a lot worse efforts in the field as well. Plus, the band knows when to stop as the album runs for a fitting length of 37 minutes, never really boring the listener on the go. If you have a little softer spot for industrial in your metal, you may add a star or more to my rating.

2.5 / 5

DESOLATE SHRINE: "Tenebrous Towers"

Hammer of Hate is primarily, if not even exclusively, known for its black metal releases, but Desolate Shrine’s Tenebrous Towers is a change to that paradigm for the first time: what we’ve got here is some damn massive and crushing old school death metal. However, considering the morbid atmosphere and utter evilness of the record, it’s no longer that weird to see it being released through a black metal label. And, admittedly, there’s also some flirts with black metal within this monster of an album.

The very first thing to notice on Tenebrous Towers is indeed the sound that is just huge: the murkiness and relatively slow tempo (in general) nods to doom metal’s direction every now and then. Perhaps the riffs don’t delve in total uniqueness but the way they combine the sheer crushing element of death metal with black metalish menace is impressive - the first song ”The Smell of Blood and Iron” is already a fine example of that, and also one of my favourities of the whole. ”Crushing Darkness” churns like some sort of a flesh grinding machinery, and later incorporates some brooding doom bell atmospheres to the mix, another highlight of the bunch.

Handled by two members, the vocals deserve a mention too. You could think of Uncreation’s Dawn’s and Uncelestial’s Diabolik who also shifts from deep growls to higher pitched shrieks. The similarities don’t stop at the vocals though, as I’m seeing something familiar in the guitar ideas as well, so Tenebrous Towers is definitely recommendable to the fans of those bands - and I do happen to love those bands, so logically Desolate Shrine has hit the rights spots for me. Kick ass riffage with a lot of occult darkness, that is Tenebrous Towers in a nutshell, and this nutshell works like magic. No need for hesitations if it sounds like your deal, too.

4 / 5

SACRILEGIOUS IMPALEMENT: "II - Exalted Spectres"

Many of my Finn acquaintances tend to hype Sacrilegious Impalement a lot, much thanks to the band’s major debut Cultus Nex released a couple of years ago. But I was never truly impressed as the evident Watain worship, combined to a soulless Necromorbus studio sound, lacked all necessary power and feeling of danger. Now the band is back with II - Exalted Spectres for which I had higher hopes, but I’m getting similar vibes as I got with Cultus Nex. There’s the discordance, the evil and profoundly Satanic atmosphere, and at times the faster bursts of enraged violence, but when it is all executed so carefully in a professional production, where does reside all sense of truthful hazard and unpredictability?

Don’t get me totally wrong: at what the band does on Exalted Spectres, it does it with skill. Not every band out there is capable of creating something as massive as this album, and not everyone can pull out vocals like Hellwind Inferion in his possessed, mid-range screams, most perfectly delivered on ”Aletheia” which is sung in native tongue, making it sound more authentic and emotional than e.g. the common ’six six six’ proclamations in English. The twirling tremolo melodies are a pleasure to hear as well but unfortunately they provide nothing out of the ordinary and, honestly speaking, almost none of the melodies on Exalted Spectres could be said to be really memorable afterwards. It’s all enjoyable during the course of listening, yet not sticking to head afterwards, no matter how many spins I give the album.

The mediocrity is probably at its worst on a track like ”Omnipotens Aeterne” which almost practically repeats the previous songs, but there are also highlights worth mentioning: ”Woods in a Solitary Soul” is one personal favourite of mine, almost three of its five minutes being distortionless, lurking menace with guitars and whispered vocals. Then there’s ”Grand Funeral Convoy” which is a very fitting bookend song, ending the album with the record’s best song progressions, culminating into some sweet lead melody. But what comes to the more common pieces of Watain esque black metal, à la ”Blessed to Resist” or ”Wolves of the Black Moon”, I can’t say they really move me in a direction or another.

If you were one of those who found Cultus Nex good, then there’s of course no need to hesitate at all at checking out Exalted Spextres. I am willing to bet that those will love this one as well, as even I am able to hear that at least they haven’t gotten worse at all. Exalted Spectres is an album I can always listen to and enjoy it to a certain extent, but does it comprise heart-wrenching, goosebumps inducing material? No, none that I am aware of so far, though I’ve tried. Decent black metal combining the aggression of more traditional bands with the ominous atmosphere of more modern bands. That is what I hear Exalted Spectres to be to the bone.

2.5 / 5

EVANGELIVM: "Nightside of Eden"

The final part of Hammer of Hate’s recent A.V.E. trilogy offers the label’s first foreign signing, namely Evangelivm hailing from Russia. Nightside of Eden is a mysterious, ominous and deeply (theistic) Satanic black metal album that kind of struggles due to the lack of any sparkling moments, but is in general an enjoyable listening experience.

Dissonant, distorted guitar picking melodies kick off the album in the very vein of Si Monumentum era Deathspell Omega and evidently this influence can be found from every corner of the album. Then comes in the drums, and... they are programmed. A shame. Luckily they sound pretty decent but almost in every case the precise and soulless knocking reduces the overall atmosphere and this album is no exception - I can only imagine how much more convincing these compositions would sound with a real drummer. During the second track ”The Void”, the mid-range, masculine screams are introduced, very reminiscent of the output of Thurios from Astrofaes, in fact. And when the fastest blast beats of the aforementioned track and i.e. ”Corpus Dei” appear, I can’t help feeling a vibe of Hate Forest emanating from this music as well.

It’s a pleasure to listen to the menacing journey through the six tracks that mostly wander in mid tempos and occasionally bursting into speeds. The heavy guitar sound and the nicely audible bass are a treat to my ears, but compositionally it’s hard to decipher any standout moments: Nightside of Eden is more like a hypnotizing half an hour that incorporates repetitive sinister melodies but not much can be remembered of it afterwards. If something must be named, it is the epic lead melodies on the intro ”Abyssus Abyssum Invocat In Voce Cataractarum Tuarum” that catch my interest the best everytime. Those who still haven’t got enough of the religious black metal phenomenom might find this album more enjoyable than yours truly does. A decent effort, but there are glitches to be fixed for a better rating. 

2,5 / 5

VALOTON: "Beastificate"

Valoton’s debut album stands as a fairly surprising addition to Hammer of Hate’s roster, considering Valoton’s somewhat modern and technical style in which they play black metal with hints of death metal thrown in too. Attacking with ultimate speed, yet not forgetting atmosphere and a good sense of melody, Beastificate turns out to be a good, richly textured piece of black metal, though it has its flaws too.

In the beginning, Beastificate is most notably fast, fast and fast. The sea of blast beats seems endless and the guitars fire their tremolos all the way through, but the music still has its catchiness, especially when the album ventures to the third track ”Jaws of Abaddon” that adds some interesting elements of melodic breakdowns into the relentless war. This variation is further explored in the belligerent rhythms of ”Avatar” and most clearly in the grande finale ”Reborn in Flames” which incorporates some sweet, epic female singing - a definite highlight moment on the album. The crispy, tight production fits the professionally played instruments very well.

The minus points go to Beastificate’s unsurprising nature. A lot of good ideas have been implemented into the eight assaults plus interlude, but only rarely does the album show Valoton’s own identity which is still somewhat unclear to me even after numerous spins. Ultimately, Valoton stays in rather safe grounds of its musical influences and doesn’t dare to go much further. This is just a generalization of the album though, as there are certain moments that I simply love, but at times it’s hard to say what’s the difference between Beastificate and some other modern deathened black metal record. All the nagging now aside, this is definitely a well done debut album with great musicianship, and recommended to those who don’t mind professional and modern aspects in black metal. 

 

3 / 5

ANGUISHED: "Cold"

Female vocals in black metal - is this some symphonic, polished gothic black metal? No, quite the opposite this time, because Anguished’s debut album ”Cold” offers some piercingly freezing underground black metal with some of the most abhorrent and tortured vocal screeches that I’ve had the pleasure to listen to, and yes, this is a positive thing, and the disgusting howls are coming out of a woman who also handles all the instruments - except the drums that are battered by a session member - on this album.

Musically, Anguished seems to revolve around two somewhat different but definitely connected areas: while songs like ”These Gray Days” attack with relentless old school power, such tracks as the 8-minute ”September Nights” and ”The Last Trip” lean more clearly to sorrowful, depressive melodies and atmospheres. The spine-chilling, malicious invocations of ”Come to Me Satan” could be said to be somewhere between the two approaches, belonging to the record’s standout moments.

The album lives up to its name, and most certainly so when it comes to the utterly raw production, perhaps headache-inducing to some. The bass guitar does exist here but the freezing guitar sound is much more dominating, as are the slashing cymbals and the pounding snare drum - not to even mention again the inhumane vocals spewing out Satanic and suicidal lyrics. Mercy is not given until the final track, introducing ’normal’ chanting female vocals above the clean guitar sound - though a little surprise does happen at the very last seconds.

Hands down, ”Cold” belongs to the most surprising debuts of this year, and not only because of the unique vocal delivery, but also due to the qualified compositions that make the album a coherent whole: none of the tracks seem out of place. Only two tracks - ”Tired” and ”Verivala” - fail to rise to the level of the others but we aren't still talking about any bad material at all. Those who can digest such a raw production and enjoy Arkha Sva / old Cradle of Filth esque vocals, don’t hesitate to check this out. 

4 / 5