It seems there’s been quite a bit of controversy around Satanic Warmaster lately – something to do with a gig in Scotland. Now they’re not a band I’d ever really investigated. From distant memory (mainly Supernal mail order catalogues) their early album titles and choices of bands to do splits with suggested that they were likely a moronic so-called ‘NSBM’ band. Over the years however, leader Werwolf has clearly attempted to distance himself from this label and musically the band appears to have become regarded as one of the finer underground black metal propositions out there. (Wouldn’t be the first in this genre to dabble with idiocy, would he?) Above all, the predominant reason for me to check out the music here was their Finnish compatriots Archgoat.
I’d be lying if I said that the Satanic Warmaster element of this split didn’t blow me away from the first listen though. ‘Black Destiny’ opens up the unholy attack and, knowing what decrepit bludgeoning carnage Archgoat would later serve up, it was a minor surprise being assaulted by SW’s refined, savagely biting style. To sum up, scything riffs, blasting drums and Werwolf’s toxic vocals juxtapose brilliantly with atmospheric keyboards and epic drum rolls to create an irresistible, unstoppable force of black metal majesty. The instrumentation is executed immaculately and it sweeps the listener forcefully along. What undoubtedly helps is a production that I would rate as perfect for this style – especially the extremes of drums, which hammer mercilessly, and keyboards, which do their work in the subtlest fashion. Beyond the rousing, impassioned two original opening cuts we get an interesting cover of Finland’s Pest, transporting us to the genre’s earlier days, before SW signs off with the least compelling of its own tunes in ‘My Kingdom of Darkness’.
As indicated earlier, and as anybody in the know will already be aware, this split is a split in more than just name. Albeit a showcase for two bands revered in underground circles, this is still somewhat of a sonic fracture. In contrast to Satanic Warmaster’s sophisticated, vaguely melodic black metal, here we have Archgoat. And not just any Archgoat but Archgoat at its most archaic, reinterpreting the majority of tracks from its first two demos. For a band which owes its existence as much to subterranean death-doom and grind a la Blasphemy as it does to black metal aesthetics, the difference in stylistic approach between the two bands on this split is like day and night.
‘Jesus Spawn’ blurts out first; drums pounding primally, riffs mercilessly grinding and chasmic vocals eclipsing all else before it all ends in an unceremonious instant. Composition-wise, ‘Death & Necromancy’ is probably one of the more memorable Archgoat tracks here. A mind-churning attack up to the solo, suddenly we are dragged into utter death-doom realms by thunderous chords which support all manner of twisted quasi-bluesy solos. Much like the previous SW experience, the production for Archgoat here is ideally suited to their style and in fact it proves a brutal improvement on that of their last album. Most significantly, it represents the band much closer to its crushing live sound; each change of pace erupting to devastating effect – from doom, as above, to decimating acceleration. From the hell-spawned murk of ‘Penis Perversor’ to the undulating terror of ‘Black Messiah’, it’s a story of absolute blasphemy. The closest we get to subtlety is the funereal combination of chiming bells and dramatic keyboard in closer ‘Rise of the Blackmoon’.
All in all, this ‘Lux Satanae (Thirteen Hymns of Finnish Devil Worship)’ split is a great product, featuring two extremely different yet great Finnish black metal bands. On one hand intoxicating; on the other suffocating. Hell’s Headbangers have backed a collaboration here that beats most albums I’ve had a chance to hear thus far in 2016. Now if only more black metal bands (and their fans) could get their heads around the fact that musical extremity beats ‘political’ stupidity or pseudo-philosophy any day of the week…
(8.5/10 Jamie)
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