SVARTIDAUÐI – Flesh Cathedral (2012)

Genre: Orthodox Black Metal

Label: Terratur Possessions

Rating: 9.5/10

I typically do moment-by-moment reviews of albums, selecting the highlights from my point-of-view. This is not possible with Flesh Cathedral. There are just too many spectacular riffs and leads, the songwriting is too great to attempt such a feat (not to speak of the song lengths). The basswork is equally excellent, and the vocals unique and awesome. The drums kill, as do their tone. I love the snare on this album. The guitar tone is equally divine (diabolic?). Anyway, I will give my impressions of the album and how it effects me.

Lyrically, the album has to do with the erosion of society, and a transcendent form of Orthodox Satanism. The music speaks to me with its darkness, and the psychosis that lies therein. It is like a mind-altering drug. Yet this is not a bad thing at all; it makes me feel tremendous joy and comfort. Others might find it disgusting and anxiety-provoking, but for me, their cries for the dark lord paint the most beautiful picture. I've always listened to this album as though it were one, cohesive piece. Let me present some quotations from the lyrics to further illustrate what I mean.

The Earth is covered in ash and our lungs have filled with worms. The dead eyes close as the disgusting light flickers at the withering horizon. Mutilated flesh and dripping vomit. The shepherds of sickness are caught in a black torrent of the blossoming death. …

Oh illuminating horror trismegistus, vomit forth the laughter of dead birds into the blood soaked mould. Adorn the altar with entrails of whores, from hell I enter the white chapel. A head is lowered in horror before the transcendental mutilation of the mind within the impenetrable night. The perpetual nothing. …

Now let infinite worlds burn black with lust beneath the crystalized eye of dementia. Infuse the rotting hearts and enter the Flesh Cathedral. …

Psychoactive sacraments; Lifeless Shadows and Damnation. Conceived in incestuous congregation, developing gluttony for sin and perverse pleasures. Directed by the devil's hand, like a moth to the flame that is the grandeur of hell. Inhale this repugnant ghost, fill your black lungs with rotting smoke.

It reads like a ritual, to me. And this album also has the most urgent feel to it... As if waiting for Lucifer to return to earth and shed his light upon the faithful is going to prove fruitful very soon.

Now, for full disclosure, I am an antitheist. However, I once was an Orthodox Satanist, and perhaps that is why this album speaks to me so closely. It is a complete package. It is one of my favourite albums, and works like this, like Deathspell Omega's, Cultes des Ghoules's, Aosoth's, Antaeus's, et al, are why this form of Satanism is the most compelling, and to me the most compelling religion if anything were true. One will have to scour Discogs to score this on vinyl. Tape may still be available through Terratur Possessions. Daemon Worship Productions still has some of the digipack CD available. Enjoy AMSG.