Satyricon
Volcano
EatURmusic/Red Ink
Krista G.
It’s been at least six very lonely months since I fell completely in love with a disc, on first listen even. I was needing and craving something that just hooks it up and shits out pure gold. Volcano is such an album. I’ve always said and loved “death n roll, baby!” Now it’s Black N Roll, Baby! Volcano is the last thing I listen to at night, the first when I get up, and when I listen to anything else, I feel like I’m cheating on a lover (Satyricon). I don’t want to listen to anything else, nothing remotely measures up. End of gushing, now for the specifics.
There is no one like Frost on the drums. There’s an organic, animalistic richness to his method. Dude has a truly sparse kit, and somehow can make a hook by using high hat alone. Toms add a definite heat while the double bass makes him an unstoppable force. This relentless energy, that drips with rockin’ hooks, strict coldness, a “feel” drummer that grabs the listener by the hair, and drags them off caveman style. Give in, you know you wanna. Couple the hooks generated by the drums with the guitar style of Satyr. Occasionally a guitarist that’s had no guitar lessons surpasses the most technical, and highly trained out there. Going on feel, vibe, and what’s right for the song has it’s crystal-clear merits. These guitar tracks I would say are a single long outburst, flowing from one slide into a hook, slipping into methodical picking, slamming coldness down your throat. Hook laden guitar work, a little chunk to beef up the tones, sparse and grimy doom riffing for many of the bridges, leads that surge into deliberate solo’s. The “feel” wins over the virtuoso, but that’s always been Satyr’s style. Bass can’t really be heard. There’s some keys massaged in here and there, and couple that with the lovely creepiness of Anja Garbarek voice in a couple of the songs. Satyr himself has never sounded better (still gaunt), and the vocals have a processed effect on them. He whispers fervently or uses spoken parts for added punctuation here and there.
Overall, I’ve got to say that the reason that Volcano works on so many different levels is it’s minimalist approach, and that makes it much larger. Primitive, deceptively simple, with clear production that brings home the icy core of the bands sound. Slowing down just a notch creates something larger than its individual parts of verse/chorus. Lyrically it follows a path that Satyricon haven’t deviated from. Apoplectic seething, cold predictions, human disingration, the coming of a world that some of us would not recognize.
“I hate you to a level of intoxication.”
“With Ravenous Hunger” starts eerie, and expresses freely “On my signal, unleash Hell”, and so it does. Vocal layering adds depth, while the drumming is complete bombardment. Doomy riffing coldly propels the song, with light keys adding atmosphere. Huge on sound, and small on the grandiosity that other black metal bands typically over indulge in. “Angstridden” would be the heated toms, and high hat hooks that I mentioned. The riffing mirrors the hooks already created, spinning a web that has no end. Dissonant guitar tones are the ultimate back drop for something that can only termed as a “rocker”. Muffled shrieking that has deeper tones put home lyrics that have many different interpretations. Outstanding. “Fuel for Hatred” would be a song you probably heard on HeadBangers Ball. Yeah, it’s pace is faster than the song before, but guess what? As fucking good as it is, it’s not the best on the disc. Hate filled anthem that surges and seethes with hooks and sludge. “Suffering the Tyrants” is a creaking groaner that shows off incredibly restrained drumming. It’s spacious, varied tempo, snarling venomously, muffled voices from beyond and the cacophony of guitar back drops. “Possessed” is the fastest tempo’d song here, schizophrenic guitar work, extremely fast drumming, but never forgets the precious hook prior to the bridge, and long after. Ends with a very long dirty fadeout. “Repined Bastard Nation” is my favorite here, which I spin endlessly, and know the lyrics backward and forward. Get your dictionary out, and prepare for hook filled decimation. The best guitar work is here, and the most creative and powerful vocals. “No more repined bastard nation…” “Mental Mercury” would be the most black metal song on here. Relentless, grooves carefully placed, till a repetitive slowing down cools off the heat that the song has generated. “Black Lava” is long, dipping, flowing pure black heaviness for 14+ minutes. Lyrically nods to the prime age of black metal, it’s goal, and a call to walk towards heroism. This song has Anja singing a small segment with her spooky, ominous loveliness.
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Brutal Truth: This has been out in Europe since 2002, and only since April has it seen proper distribution in the States and Canada. That’s a mighty fuck you right there, for denying us on the other half of the world Volcano. The other truth is that some traditionalists, purists, and old school black metalers have called this a sellout. I think not. Lastly, the incorporation of session Singer Anja on three songs. Her appearance is minimal at best, and definitely adds to mix. In case you missed it the first time, Volcano hooks it right up and shits out pure gold.
