Black Metal, the genre that’s so ‘trve’ it’s false. I jest but really on reflection as you get older you realise just how pathetic the Norwegian scene was. Of course I love the music but the individuals within, just a bunch of nerds and losers. Not the good kind either, I pride myself on being lame but these guys were on another level. Hating on things like Death Metal for a start is not good in my book and it’s made even more hilarious when one considers that they hated on it due to mainstream appeal. 99% of the population still has no idea what Death Metal is!

Anyway to save me turning my reviews into a platform for ranting and to save pissing off every Black Metal fan out there I’ll just shut my mouth and get on with it. Today we look at Californian Black Metal force Sarcoptes. They formed in 2008 but their output has been sluggish. 2013 saw them release their Thanatos EP which was later followed by debut full length Songs And Dances Of Death in 2016. Now they’ve seemingly stepped up their game with a signing to Transcending Obscurity Records to put out their new EP Plague Hymns. Is it any good though?

Ambience fades into an all-out Blackened assault as The Vertigo Soul crashes in to introduce this EP. There are dashes of the Symphonic akin to Emperor, this is weaved with some fairly standard but none the less well-structured Black Metal that is certainly edging upon the more modern with pummelling drums and melodic guitar riffs making up its body. Vocally the production is good and again this leans into a modern feel, however not one that is offensive, even to the more ‘trve’ ear. What follows is the second and indeed lengthy closure La Moria Grandissima. I have to admit that it is seldom boring given the relatively formulaic Black Metal nature of the band’s sound. That said there is no need for it to be over ten minutes as it doesn’t really play with any sort of Prog or Atmospheric features. This is of course save for an ambient outro which serves no real purpose and isn’t exactly led into with great finesse.

Overall, average. I wouldn’t go out of my way to hail Sarcoptes but I don’t hate it. Picture this, you’re at a gig (if you can remember what those are) and you’re awaiting someone like Mayhem. However, you of course have to endure a support act, that support act is Sarcoptes. It starts and you dig the Symphonic elements and well-rounded Black Metal. That said you breathe a sigh of relief when the band announce ‘this is our last song for this evening’. It’s support band fodder and really nothing more, inoffensive well written Black Metal.

(7/10 George Caley)

https://www.facebook.com/SarcoptesOfficial

https://sarcoptesblack.bandcamp.com/album/plague-hymns-black-thrash-metal