In my wanderings around South East Asia, and in particular Singapore and Malaysia, I’m surprised I hadn’t come across Infernal Execrator. Comprising Kommando Antichristo, Christslaughter, Halphas D. Nihilist and Lord Ashir, the band has been in existence since 2005 and has released three albums including this one along with a host of splits, two eps and a live album. To my mind these stage names and album / ep titles are like a Monty Pythonesque joke, but I do know that these bands are deadly serious when it comes to spreading black metal blasphemy – not something I imagine the Singaporean government would approve of, unless things have changed drastically since I was last there.
“Aeternalis Daboli Satanas” immediately puts us on a war footing. After the initial formalities, a flurry of guitar and drums lead us into the chaotic world of Infernal Execrator. The sound is expanded to strangle us. There are so many bands I could compare this band with but I’ll go for Impaled Nazarene. It’s extreme – of course – and direct. It’s not about taking prisoners. Slaughter is more on the agenda. “Corporeal Adversaries” is another violent attack. The important thing is that I am inside this, being swept along by the flowing black metal intensity. Sparks fly, and to quote the title of the next piece, it’s an “Infernal Storm of Oblivion”. Melody is a strange word to use but there’s definitely a pattern to this infernal storm which would have any crowd headbanging in unison. A tempo change has us hanging on a string, and the sound effect is suggestive of being lashed mercilessly before a flamboyant but suitably malevolent guitar line cuts in. “Infernal Storm of Oblivion” is a crowd-pleaser, not in a commercial scene but that’s because people like soft stuff. It certainly pleased me.
A vicious scream precedes a razor-sharp riff and violent drums. “Marauders Prayers of Profanation” is black metal fever pitch. Only the howling guitar interrupts the noise and carnage. This band plays tight, which is perhaps to be expected given their longevity. Terrorized Consecration” is a masterpiece of inter-instrumental timing, with one passage of violent evil working into the next, with the drummer going six to the dozen to maintain the frenetic tempo. The word “hatred” comes to mind. Vocalist Lord Ashir rasps venomously. The guitars provide the colour such as there is colour in venomous metal like this. “Asmodei Bestialust Conjuration” is a belligerent, intense attack but then that’s true of all of it. By “Blazing Acheronic Tyrants” my ears were burning pleasantly with all this, and so I was surprised to hear a measured, fuzz metal type intro to “Blazing Acheronic Tyrants”. Normal service is quickly resumed, and the customary wall of noise and verbal violence are back in evidence. The title song closes the album. The band are as ever in overdrive, but aided by breaks and subtle changes of direction and tempo, maintain the firepower from all angles without let-up, that is until a break and a choral chant to reinforce the satanic atmosphere and bring the album to an ominous end.
Attack, attack … Infernal Execrator is a band without compromise. It’s also a band with considerable skill, and in “Diabolatry” they pulled me along willingly with their instrumental talent, ferocious intensity and ability to construct songs which are both hate-filled and fluid.
(8/10 Andrew Doherty)
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