Having loved Sargeist's debut 'Satanic Black Devotion' and their re-released demo 'Tyranny Returns', it was almost inevitable that I was to embrace this, their second album, with open arms. If you didn't already know, Sargeist features members of the equally amazing Finnish bands Horna and Behexen, and sound-wise they do not stray too far from their main day jobs either.
However, Shatraug and co. have somehow managed to take all the best parts of their other projects, and patched them together into a freakish, evil Frankenstein's monster of a band. Not that I'd call Sargeist a supergroup though, as they are a credible enough creature all of their own, possessing that certain 'spark' of chemistry which helps to bring life (or death as it were) to the riffs and the overall aura of the album. I suppose the easiest way of describing their sound, would be to compare them to Clandestine Blaze, Judas Iscariot and at times even a croakier, dirtier (if that's possible) Darkthrone, replete with all the usual dissonance and waspish guitar work backed by mainly mid-paced drum work and inaudible bass. All these ingredients have been left to ferment into a truly noxious musical concoction this time around though, further strengthening their already tight grip on the grim and cold black metal scene.
The difference for me on this album is the fact that there is a tangible blacker, evil shade overshadowing this release compared to their other two releases, evoking a feeling similar to the first time you watched dark Japanese horror masterpiece 'Ringu' – high praise indeed for a band who continue to enforce and strengthen, rather than push the boundaries of the dismal and gloom ridden black metal scene of today.
Reviewed by: Lars Christiansen
