The first album by this band, whose name translates as “Occult Rituals”, was described as “50 minutes of monolithic riffs, (which) immerses the listener into an abyss of dark psychedelic sounds and ritualistic atmospheres”. That pretty well sums up “Secta”, which is another “Heavier, atmospheric journey through the alchemy”.
Musically this is very downtrodden, so much so that it’s not faintly enjoyable in any sense. I liked the mystical Eastern chant which opens the work. After that it’s as if we’re plumbing spiritual depths. There are vague similarities with early Katatonia and Tiamat. The deathly sound is harsh and hollow. The keyboard player sends a nerve though the dark and dingy atmosphere. Floaty vocals which accompany the flat growls make it sensuous in its way but this unremitting atmosphere of gloom is unpleasant and overshadows anything creative that’s there. “Ferrum” reminds us of growly hard-to-like 70s psychedelic rock. An operatic female vocalist sounds as if she’s floating on air, but “Aes” has a repressed sound again. The growls and overall aura give it that air of fustiness. There’s a cosmic fuzz in the background. The sound is desultory. For sure there’s a spiritual element which is reinforced by the lady’s mystical tones but even they do not rise out of the greyness. “Argentum” features more crusty, indistinct death metal. The atmosphere is monotonous and dreary. The spaced-out chant at the end does nothing but add to the sense of pain and struggle. “Argentum Vivum” is sludgy and death-like. A mysterious chant gives it some flavour and develops into an eastern rhythm with a monastic mantra. This merely is te cue to descend into deeper and sludgier territory which smacks only of rotting death. Turgid deathly moans, slow beats, wailing and an operatic output which is suggestive of nightmares are part of the mix of the last two tracks. It’s hard going.
I was glad when this finished. I can see that Riti Occulti have created and developed a concept here, but from my perspective I got nothing out of this deliberately under-produced work. For me, “Secta” is just dreary.
(3.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
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