Labels: Iron Bonehead Productions
Formats: Vinyl/CD/Digital
Release Date: 25 Jan 2019
Tracklist:
1. Thirsting For Ruin
2. An Absence Of All But Ashes
3. Cold Embrace Of Sanctity
4. The Cease Of Absolution
5. Divine Amusement For Pitiless God
6. The Apostates Communion
7. Breath Of Sulphur/Aura Of Flies
8. Extracorporeal Climax
9. Holy Gifts From Skinless Hands
This night belongs to Swedish black metal band Perverticon. This anti-religious, belligerent trio has been polluting clean minds for over eight years now. They released their demo back in 2013 and swiftly followed it with their debut album "Extinguishing The Flame Of Life" via Mordgrimm, before five years of silence. They returned at the turn of the year with their newest album "Wounds Of Divinity", this time released via the mighty Iron Bonehead Productions. I am late to this but it's better late than never.
Perverticon’s own formulation of black metal is scarily bleak and unforgiving. The instrumentation sits high up in the mix on Thirsting For Ruin, with the wretched screams lying deep below at least during the opening two minutes. When the vocals come to the fore, they are equally as hellish, while the percussion blasts away at speed. The riffs are melodic but unnerving at the same time, with a nod to Swedish metal masters gone by. The metallic wonderment of An Absence Of All But Ashes is plain to hear, as Perverticon strides on with no mercy for anybody or anything,. Vocalist/Drummer Omnicremationist Supreme does an incredible job of combining both duties, while guitarists Uncleanest Invictus and Necrosadistic Elite (who also delivers bass) add their own tortured signatures to the album.
Even the truest of believers will be dragged into the depths of hell thanks to Cold Embrace Of Sanctity. It reminds you of how hollow the devout are and in doing so, teaches you not to follow the flock. Powerful and endearing to the ears of those who wish to take the left hand path. There’s a hypnotising feeling that washes over you during The Cease Of Absolution. It’s not as if Perverticon are trying to brainwash you and their message isn’t as much subliminal as it is liminal. They just have a knack when it comes to writing extremely good and catchy black metal. There’s literally no let up during “Wounds Of Divinity” and Divine Amusement For Pitiless God just fuels the flames even more with blasphemic lyrics and a constant barrage from the guitars and drums. It’s more barbaric than ambient but it still has plenty of atmosphere.
Perverticon are at their most urgent as they launch headfirst into The Apostates Communion, as the first verse is filled with double-bass that borders on inhuman, before the tempo settles down into more sedate territory (briefly). There’s no single approach from the band, as they switch tempos up and down depending on the mood and in turn create truly listenable music. The second half of the record is more urgent as a whole and Breath Of Sulphur/Aura Of Flies is slightly more avant-garde than the songs before it (if that’s the correct way to describe it). It’s a tad more off-kilter and the riffs are again more metallic and treble-laden. It bears all the hallmarks of a Swedish band but one that’s clearly enjoying their music.
Penultimate song Extracorporeal Climax is a mighty song that shows off both their technical and song-writing prowess very effectively. It’s over before you know it and as it ends, the haunting choral singing of Holy Gifts From Skinless Hands greets you. It’s a really well placed sample that gives way to the most furious black metal on “Wounds Of Divinity”. It rounds out a record that’s got everything you want when it comes to black metal. The musical maturity is on full show and Perverticon proves that they are more than ready to step up to higher eschelons. Excellent.
You can stream "Wounds Of Divinity" and purchase it on all formats below via Iron Bonehead Productions -
Perverticon - https://www.facebook.com/pvcult
Iron Bonehead Productions - https://www.facebook.com/IronBoneheadProductions/
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