Israel’s Svpremacist typify how black metal felt and sounded over three decades ago, their primal proto black annihilation has that dangerous feel, rancid, putrid riffing, a raucous production and savaging vocals are all at the core of this act, whose previous releases have built brilliantly to this debut full length. Their rawness and primitiveness ensure that every track has that punishing, abrasive factor black metal had in its embryonic beginnings as the album begins with ‘Witches’. With little in the way of finesse the opener slays with caustic abandon, coupled to the corrosive larynx of Shkedemon, whose tone has an envenomed barbarity at all times.
There is a grievousness to this album, every track wielding a pernicious pulverising nature as ‘Godkiller’ attests, rabidity marrying brilliantly to the thrashing mayhem of the riffing and volatile velocity. Changing approach slightly is ‘Drug Of Choice’ adopting a punky, almost crust like riffing style, where the catchiness is there for you to absorb as their fuck you approach drips with outright hostility when the pacing is increased. ‘Under Siege’ is awesome, a sub two-minute explosion of utter carnage, where the intensity had me thinking about the first album by Nifelheim, Impiety and Canada’s Blasphemy. The feral inhuman attitude is palpable as an intro piece infests the start of ‘Spawn (Of The Infertile)’, inducing an eerie atmospheric feel before the fantastic detonating riff. With a death-grunt added too fans of old Hellhammer will get a kick out of this, even though the chaotically controlled speed is rampant, with no easing off whatsoever.
‘No Life Matters’ was a single released in 2019 so fans will be familiar with it, its frenzied approach is laced with ear piercing screaming lead work as the riff base is wholly thrash here that fans of South American black thrash will appreciate, think Sarcofago and their ilk. Continuing to abrade the listener is ‘Unintelligent’ a riotous assault of feverish riffing and violence as that rawness in sound and styling really comes to the fore.
Closing the album is ‘13 Blank Cards’ where a drum filled opening is laced with growled vocals situated underneath, allowing the song to creep along building up superbly as those old thrash credentials rear up their blood dripping fangs. The song is highly measured, sequentially escalating in power, building on layers of dread until the horrifying pandemonium finale at the end.
Old school black metal fans, black thrashers should give this an opportunity to tear your face off, its ferocious, nihilistic and barbaric affront is certain to do that with effortless ease.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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