Search - Satyricon :: Volcano

GOOD

J. Harwood | bakersfield ca | 06/16/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"first off to the idiots that think they are to cool to listen to this just cuz its missing a few elements of "true" black metal you are ignorant cuz Satyricon has always been in the 2nd wave of Black metal with bands such as Marduk, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Emperor, Immortal, Carpathian Forest, and many of the others. just cuz they wanted expand their musical horizons isnt a bad thing. i mean why would you want a cd that sounds exactly like the last..."

Satyricon's Finest Hour

Cognitive Dissonance | the 9th Layer of Hell | 07/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"And yet another band pulls itself out of the typical black metal cycle (in which, basically, everyone does the exact same thing they did in 1994) only to be called sell-outs. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? Hmm... if this is selling out, then I hope everyone starts doing it.



This is Satyr & Frost's most minimalist effort, and for the most part has a 'black'n'roll' feel to it, not unlike Darkthrone's "Total Death" album from 10 years ago... yet definitely not a copy.



The production is surprisingly clean (possibly due to major label budget - Satyricon went corporate with this release) which helps the album along significantly, lending clarity to the sound and a cold edge to Satyr's nasty little growls.



Some very fitting and well-performed female vocals poke their way in on a few occasions (most notably on "Angstridden" and "Black Lava") and really do set the tone for the movements in which they're used.



Song picks here would be the two mentioned above, as well as "Mental Mercury" for having an ending that simply blew my head off - one of the best uses of repetition I've heard in the genre, ever.



This is definitely the highlight of Satyricon's catalogue, and a must-have for any fans of straight-forward 'blackened' metal without the bells and whistles that many other bands have made use of."