De Contemplanda Morte is scorcing black metal from Sweden, brought to us by the folks in Mortuus (no, not the lead singer from Marduk, as would be the first assumption). I can't tell you too much about these guys, as the CD contains no info on the band itself other than laying out the lyrics in the booklet, which are almost impossible to read, something that often is a poor feature on some black metal releases. With six songs dripping with cold, windy atmosphere,icy guitar riffs, and plenty of bloodcurdling growls & shrieks, this is a must hear for fans of the genre. From the plodding riffs & drum work of "Penetrations of Darkness", to the maniacal "Astral Pandemonium", this is intense stuff, and sure to please anyone into bands such as Mayhem, Immortal, Emperor, and Marduk. The production is pretty good for an underground release, as the guitars, drums, bass, and what sounds like splatterings of keyboards here and there all sound very crisp, yet there is that certain darkness that of course needs to be a part of the mix. The most powerful track is certainly "Illumination of God", a crushing and dramatic number with ringing guitar riffs, tortured growls, and plenty of symphonic elements. Something that is really cool about this band is their affinity for dropping in plenty of atmospheric and somewhat proggy bits here and there (as you can hear during the closing epic "Supplication for the Demise of All: Withdrawal into the Lifeless Sanctum"), allowing for some respite in between the bludgeoning. For quality modern black metal, you can't go wrong here.
Track Listing
1. Penetrations of Darkness
2. Astral Pandemonium
3. Constant Descent of Seraphim
4. Illumination of God
5. Rebirth in the Sterile Triad of Six
6. Supplication for the Demise of All: Withdrawal into the Lifeless Sanctum
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