If you didn’t know Saligia is a mnemonic for the seven deadly sins in Latin which are superbia, avaritia, luxuria, invidia, gula, ira and acedia as the Norwegian duo of Ahzari (vocals, guitar and bass) and V (drums) deliver five songs of eclectic and diverse black metal that owes a lot to the Czech bands Root and Master’s Hammer. This is the bands second full length and much like my review of the Kvltist release it offers an avant-garde approach to screwing with your auditory sense to the point of utter terror. Each tune is prefixed with a one word title as opener “Fire: Tear Apart The Veil” reveals clean croaking vocals set against a tempestuous blackened maelstrom of twisted riffing and grotesque melodies. Whilst rarely blasting this album is unsettling at times as the song writing creates an eerie ghostly ambience that challenges the listener on all fronts. As the opener closes “Revelation: A Sign Reveals” possesses a slower riff that is borderline funereal and slightly gothic in texture with the groaning vocal lying beneath the guitar like a sonic apparition. As the track proceeds there is a feeling that it is going nowhere until a short pause and an increase in tempo to a rock like beat that eventually transforms into more accepted blackened realms.
The songs are intertwined thematically when you listen to the album and virtually seamlessly linked with “Voices: Her Hidden Darkness” starting very gently with semi-acoustic musicianship that unfurls into a cacophonous assault that takes time to unknot and digest fully. I love the drum sound on this album as whilst sitting low in the mix they are organic and underpin the tunes with their range and dexterity from straight up blasts to far softer moments with cymbal work and without them the fabric of the songs would dissolute. As the tune delves into those softer moments that off key style is adopted for a lead break that is manifestly sinister before returning the song to more comfortable spheres. Closing the release is the title track of sorts which is fully titled as “Fønix : Flame Coronation” and begins in tranquil fashion with placid guitar melodies and bass and a basic drum beat. A lone guitar lead filters through that is stripped raw retaining an atmosphere of nightmarish occultism. Again the tune seems to go nowhere as eventually that croaking groaning vocal style materialises as the drums hit a half blast phase with occasional double kick insertions. The tune is intense and adopts a plethora of tempo changes that make the song feel a little like very old Satyricon in places though this is far more ominous and disturbing. Towards its crescendo there is staggering lead break that is a match for any shredder within black metal.
If you’re in the mood for being freaked out on a cold winters night then Sailigia is the band for you as they deliver an album of ghoulish quality and melodious malignancy.
(8/10 Martin Harris)
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