Sacrificium Carmen - Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa
Saturnal Records
Black Metal
8 songs ()
Release year: 2015
Saturnal Records
Reviewed by Alex
Surprise of the month

Finns Sacrificium Carmen are newcomers to the underground black metal scene, but they make sure their voice is heard strongly with the debut Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa. The band obviously has their convictions, they wear them in the form of facepaint, and they also have a message. That, apparently, is Satanism, not that I would be able to confirm it with or without the booklet, since the album is mostly in Finnish. Yet, throughout the blackness and Satanism, Sacrificium Carmen managed not to sound like a pile of mangled mess, delivering eight tracks of surprising audio quality.

If one of the band’s distinguishing features is supposed to be their inkling for melody, Sacrificium Carmen don’t really rush to get there. Instead, they open up with extremely vile Lucifer, where you can take your choice of punishment in the form of blasting or pummeling double bass. Bestial thrash of Öisen haahkan liekeissä follows, whose purpose it is to create an uneasy unsettled feeling. It is not until Kaaoksen käärme, with its Horna-like circular riffs wafting and floating above the muscular bottom end that I began seeing why Nordic sulfurous melodies were advertised as one of the attractions. Sacrificium Carmen finds their footing on Kaaoksen käärme, and does not let up from there. Nemesis is almost touching Windir with its feisty ancient motif, the song made up of equal stacked parts, melodic and outright deranged. Verialkemia continues to unleash melodic fury, Julman sanasta is all loose thrashy infectious grinding and Yön kasvot is one hell of a monumental closer.

Not all things are speedy on Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa. Just when things are about to fly off the handle, they land right into a swamp, Verialkemia and Pimeän silmän goetia presenting their demon dances, all squatty and nasty, Pimeän silmän goetia interrupted by choppy helicopter flights above the mud covered slough. The sound on Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa deserves special mention, as Sacrificium Carmen manage to accomplish their goals with guitars not awfully detuned or buzzsaw-like. Not clean by any means, I can only characterize everything as full-bodied and meaty, and that includes both guitars and drums. Adding voice with interesting background effects or dual vocals (Horna’s Spellgoth contributes on Nemesis) creates an impression of closed door exclusive cult session, the type of feeling the band was going for exactly. And just when the songs begin to feel settling into the groove Sacrificium Carmen will uncork the lead, something they are very good at when trying to close and punctuate a song (Öisen haahkan liekeissä, Pimeän silmän goetia).

Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa is a very strong debut if you like old Gorgoroth (without outright seething coldness, as Ikuisen Tulen Kammiossa is much warmer and earthier), Taake, Horna or Calvarium. The album is a perfect example how not to hide behind the conviction and try scoring points on pure genre tenets. But, then, I guess you need quality musicianship, attention to detail in the studio and ability to play your instruments, something not every underground black metal possesses. Sacrificium Carmen definitely belong with the underground Finnish black metal, there is no shine or artificial polish here, yet the album is an enjoyable listening experience.

Killing Songs :
Kaaoksen käärme, Nemesis, Verialkemia, Julman sanasta
Alex quoted 80 / 100
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