I have witnessed Baptism’s live ritual twice, both times in Norway amongst a rabid crowd, and have been blown away on both occasions by their ferocity and precision. To say that I was looking forward to this release, their first on Season of Mist, is an understatement, so I sat down, plugged in the headphones and cranked up the volume.
Anyone familiar with Baptism will know exactly what to expect, and while this album delivers raw, no nonsense Finnish black metal, it manages to do so with a polished production and a sense of maturity, where broad sweeping melodies and even some clean vocals sit comfortably amidst the black metal maelstrom!
Opening track ‘Natus Ex Ignis’ is essentially a background rumbling with unintelligible whisperings, drawing in the listener, setting an appropriately somber mood before launching into ‘Satananda’ (complete with guest appearance by Mynni Luukkainen from Horna) which sets the tone for the rest of the album with its rasping vocals atop a black metal barrage.
‘The Sacrament Of Blood And Ash’ follows (with Mikko Kotamäki from Swallow the Sun as a guest) and this is where the album first sticks its head above the parapet as something special, having been infiltrated by clean vocals! I know purists may hate this, but it works really well and the quieter moments simply serve to accentuate the aggression during the heavier parts.
I was going to say normal service is resumed with ‘Devil’s Fire’ as there is a return to the more traditional black metal sound, but that does the track a disservice, as although the easily recognisable rasping vocals are present, they are shoulder to shoulder with some majestic melodies and outstanding guitar work.
The sublime melodies continue with ‘Abyss’, where epic soundscapes and a pulsating rhythm serve to hypnotise the listener away to another world, linking seamlessly with ‘Cold Eternity’ for the journey to continue.
A frosty intro to ‘Malignant Shadows’ leads to a spoken word satanic incantation before we are thrown back into the more traditional dark icy world of Finnish black metal, before things are brought to a fierce climax with ‘Buried With Him’ (with Antti Boman of Demilich).
Superlatives are thrown around easily in reviews, but on this occasion they are thoroughly deserved. This is a magnificent slab of dynamic, epic black metal that manages to push the boundaries while staying true to its devastating roots. This is one of the best black metal releases of 2016 – do not miss it!
(9/10 Andy Pountney)
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