Recently I have been reading the most sacred tome on the subject of Black Metal that is Lords Of Chaos written by Michael Moynihan and Didrik Søderlind. This may come as a surprise but it is my first read through of this wondrous historical document in fact until quiet recently I haven’t been much of a reader. Yet I digress, my point is that Lords Of Chaos reminds me of something, the extreme nature of Black Metal. Often as a devoted Death Metal aficionado I lose sight of quite how harrowing and severe the opposing genre of Black Metal can be. beneath the church burnings, murders and so forth there is a gritty venom spitting rasp of metallic force that rumbles still today bringing with it an anti-religious rebellious message of destruction.

Forged in the rather apt pits of Sweden come Perverticon. Formed in 2011 the band have gone on to give us a full length in 2013 entitled Extinguishing The Flame Of Life. This slab of Blackened violence has in turn given way to their signing to Iron Bonehead Productions and subsequently the release in which we speak of today the 2019 effort Wounds Of Divinity. Perverticon are such a fresh face in the worldwide Black Metal scene, can this youthful rabble of devotees create a spark upon the kindling of modern Black Metal and thus ignite the fires of old?

Perverticon may be slathered in corpsepaint and grim darkness but underneath that persona is a creative mind, one that lays itself upon the altar praying to the forefathers of Black Metal in a vain effort of recognisance like a deranged penitent. Thirsting For Ruin is thick with Scandinavian unholy vanity and marks a perfect starting point for the album. Oozing with old school, well polished but not devoid of scummy riffs and hideous rasping vocals. There is a genuine sense of the ways of old but somehow they are brought anew, not like a second wave but more like a second coming. The Cease Of Absolution is another track which exudes old school ideologies in its structure, also through the signature guitar tones and vocals which I personally feel resonate deeply with the early days of the genre.

To make things clear Wounds Of Divinity really isn’t a rehash of early Black Metal. You would be mistaken to think that this is just another worship driven Black Metal release with little substance riding upon the waves of events long gone. No, this is a statement in the Black Metal underground that reaches out with a brimming Swedish ethos that is equal parts ancient and modern in its delivery and practise. Looking to tracks like An Absence Of All But Ashes and Holy Gifts From Skinless Hands we can note a certain Progressive, Atmospheric even Melodic tone that drives this release straight to the forefront of modern Black Metal, Wounds Of Divinity is wholeheartedly a new twist on old themes and is probably one of the better examples of the direction Black Metal needs to take in the coming years.

Overall I have nothing but praise for Wounds Of Divinity its a big album with a multitude of interesting facets that have, coupled with my recent literary exploits invoked a fire within me for a lust for Black Metal. It is a burning that has ravaged for many a year, occasionally surfacing here and there but Perverticon have made me excited for Black Metal again and I feel that other Extreme Metal fans will get the same sort of gratification from this stupendous rendition of rebellion. This is Black Metal for all walks of metallic life, something to get inspired by and something to enjoy with a wealth of passion.

(9/10 George Caley)

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https://ironboneheadproductions.bandcamp.com/album/perverticon-wounds-of-divinity