I've honestly never have been a fan of this band, but by word of mouth decided after hearing a song from their video entitled 'Ora Pro Nobis Lucifer' that I'd decided to give the album a try. I am quite impressed by the integrity of the musicianship. This one hear is mostly slow ridden paced with occasional flare-ups in super intensity. Measuring it on a whole though, it's pretty moderate/slow paced with an outstanding sense of flow and distortion laden ripping guitar. The recording quality is superb, an album definitely in the ranks of a high rating from myself.

I didn't think that the band had a real ounce of talent in the lead department, but my assumption was flawed. Not only do you hear true and original guitar riffs, the few leads that their are on this one are executed quite superbly. An eerie overall performance by the band and hell yeah it is a great listen too, with skeptics included as myself as one. Don't hold expectations of enormous flare ups in blast beating, while there are some drumming that's quite intense and guitar frenzies galore, as a whole album, the music is quite captivating and overall evil in content and essence.

Only 3 members here, but several other musicians that added their vibe to the initial musical overtures. Nergal initiating all of the songwriting including the lyrical content that I couldn't relate to, guitar riffs which dominated and vocals that and vocals that featured a similarity to that of Vader's. The guest musicians seemed to flood this album to make into a complete jist of unridding evil intention not to mention their powerful monarch of extraganza. It was mostly the music that drew me in because of its' overpowering ruse.

I don't think it was necessary to have so many guest musicians, they could've excluded them to make something that was not in need of this many contributers, but nevertheless, it made the album more than interesting to hear all of the differing sounds amidst that I never could relate to in previous releases that I heard from the band. That's why I considered myself to be highly skeptical of this album, but that went away when I heard the whole thing on repeated listens to. Absolute perfection in the goal to them to stick to the underground and remain their to rot lying stinking in the Earth.

Try out first on YouTube the song that I mentioned if you too were a skeptic of this bands previous releases and behold an experience never before hearing here sounds that just shot in originality and a recording of a meaningful extravaganza. This was my contention after hearing this, music never before from them to be play in such an array of variety and deathly doom that was axphyxiating and wholly devilish musicianship. I therefore cast to say that 'The Satanist' is the best listen to from this year's first purchase of total metal onslaught. Let the experience music of great admiration here!

Rating: 9 (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Death8699
03/25/2014 11:29