The Infernal Sea is a band from United Kingdom, from the Fenlands area, hailing since 2009 with their very straight-forward black metal. They are signed by mighty Cacophonous Records, for what is their second full-length The Great Mortality.
The album tells the story of the Black Plague, which doesn’t scream originality, nor does the band name or the cover artwork (which has a damn great and neat design, anyway). Apart from the album concept, the songwriting, riffs, vocals and drums directly show the musical skills of the band members. Since the second track, “Way of the Wolf”, there´s much of the second wave of black metal going on those walls of guitar sound, the kind of melodies that left us addicted for years to come. I can listen to many bands under The Infernal Sea sound, maybe Satyricon, or early Merrimack, or what have you.
There’s something about the second wave that just stuck within our minds, a certain type of feeling, melody and riffs that guided us, without specific reference to bands, but towards an abstract idea. I doubt that The Infernal Sea might have many things to offer in terms of innovation, but fuck innovation, if the only purpose if to follow a pack of bands that drive in the same direction and then call their black metal “modern”.
For me, “Pestmeester” is a very very interesting song that mixes full-on speed, groovy melodic riffs, and several layers of vocals, delivering a creepy feeling all over. After that, “Purification by Fire” blasts and continues with the magic left by the previous song. This kind of black metal should appeal to someone that likes their music furious and melodic. From “Plague Herald” forward my attention just drifted apart.
Notes:
The Great Mortality CD was released on February 19 2016 by Cacophonous Records.
Tracklist:
1. Den sorte dod
2. Way of the Wolf
3. The Bearer
4. Purification by Fire
5. Pestmeester
6. Entombed in Darkness
7. Plague Herald
8. Brethren of the Cross
Personnel:
Geoff Taha - Bass
James Burke - Drums
Jonathan Egmore - Guitars
Dean Lettice – Vocals
Text by Vetrarnótt
The album tells the story of the Black Plague, which doesn’t scream originality, nor does the band name or the cover artwork (which has a damn great and neat design, anyway). Apart from the album concept, the songwriting, riffs, vocals and drums directly show the musical skills of the band members. Since the second track, “Way of the Wolf”, there´s much of the second wave of black metal going on those walls of guitar sound, the kind of melodies that left us addicted for years to come. I can listen to many bands under The Infernal Sea sound, maybe Satyricon, or early Merrimack, or what have you.
There’s something about the second wave that just stuck within our minds, a certain type of feeling, melody and riffs that guided us, without specific reference to bands, but towards an abstract idea. I doubt that The Infernal Sea might have many things to offer in terms of innovation, but fuck innovation, if the only purpose if to follow a pack of bands that drive in the same direction and then call their black metal “modern”.
For me, “Pestmeester” is a very very interesting song that mixes full-on speed, groovy melodic riffs, and several layers of vocals, delivering a creepy feeling all over. After that, “Purification by Fire” blasts and continues with the magic left by the previous song. This kind of black metal should appeal to someone that likes their music furious and melodic. From “Plague Herald” forward my attention just drifted apart.
Notes:
The Great Mortality CD was released on February 19 2016 by Cacophonous Records.
Tracklist:
1. Den sorte dod
2. Way of the Wolf
3. The Bearer
4. Purification by Fire
5. Pestmeester
6. Entombed in Darkness
7. Plague Herald
8. Brethren of the Cross
Personnel:
Geoff Taha - Bass
James Burke - Drums
Jonathan Egmore - Guitars
Dean Lettice – Vocals
Text by Vetrarnótt
