This is only the third full-length release from Finnish black metal unit
Sargeist (though the band has plenty of EPs and split release to its credit, too). The group was originally a solo project by
Horna guitarist Shatraug, but now he's got two members of the group
Behexen -- vocalist Hoath Torog and drummer Horns -- helping out. Not that it changes the sound much. This is black metal, and it will be instantly identifiable as such by any listener remotely familiar with the genre. The guitars are a staticky buzz, the drums are buried in the back of the mix, the vocals are a witchy howl -- no surprises here. By the standards of the genre, the production is decent enough. It's a wall of noise, but it doesn't sound like a demo tape, which is a claim not every black metal band can make -- many are quite determinedly lo-fi. The lyrics are completely indecipherable, but it's safe to bet they're about Satan. This album will do nothing to convert the skeptical to black metal, but fans of the genre and of
Sargeist's earlier work will eat it up. ~ Phil Freeman