Damn, there’s so much black metal around fighting for attention at the moment it’s impossible to keep up. Not only that, it seems that even those that I have been unfamiliar with have been of consistent high quality recently and Outlaw are absolutely no exception to that rule. Originally formed by Brazilian Daniel Souza, the vocalist and guitarist seemed to move around a fair bit before settling down in Hamburg Germany. Having consolidated a line-up over three albums and various smaller releases he now has the solidarity of a Brazilian bassist and Finnish drummer behind him forging ahead on the follow up to 2020 release ‘The Fire In My Tomb.’
This is highly convincing, orthodox, melodic black metal with a fair hint of Swedish flavour about it. Each of the seven tracks flow magnificently from fiery savagery to moments of lush grace, it’s windswept in its multi-layered delivery and never short of harmony. Focussing thematically (I am deducing) on the lowest of the four spiritual worlds of the Kabbalah which represents the material existence we live in, mundane creation is at the heart of things here as well as narrative interests into Anti-Cosmic Luciferianism & darkness.
Howling throb from the abyss unleashed, drums and a Watain clad thorny guitar weave take us into ‘Bliss Of Soul.’ It’s immediately powerful in force and moves from fast flurries to a mid-stomping pace as melody is embraced. It quickly puts you under its spell and enthrals, continuing on its ¾ of an hour running time. D’s pulpit brimstone snarls match the music perfectly as we are swept along. Statement of intent fully declared by the entitled ‘To Burn This World and Dissolve the Flesh’ there’s some guitar hooks embedded here which actually have a bit of a Swedish Gothenburg melodeath vibe about them too. The enthusiasm really comes through as does the vitriolic fervour and hunger of the track until a simmering mid-section with symphonic elements tempers the fire. Those lush tones emerge via a jangling slow dreamy acoustic guitar part before ‘Beyond The Realms Of God’ thunders wrathfully in. A huge bellow is unleashed and it’s a case of a heavenly sound forged from the depths of hell “beyond devil, beyond God” indeed.
The devotion may well be dark but there is a real invigorating thrust to songs such as ‘The Unending Night’ and it’s the sort of song to convince the unbelievers that the devil does indeed have the best tunes. Outlaw are adept at casting the listener into raging sermons and dropping tracks into a mid-section of redemptive elegance then bringing things back to a furious conclusion. It’s an age old trick but they catch off guard each time keeping things ever-inventive, the sinuous arcane acoustic part in on ‘The Serpent’s Chant’ being a case in point. By the time we reach the finite title track with a miasma of doom about its intro and move into the elegant raptures of conclusion you will no doubt be addicted and already be looking forward to start the journey from the beginning once more. With that in mind, the high mark is yet again very well deserved.
(8.5/10 Pete Woods)
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