Metalcatto
In the depth of my ignorance, I didn’t know that Spirit Possession was a big deal. So I’m here to correct that mistake. The band delivers this harsh Black Metal that, despite being stuck to some traditions, has lots of nuances. It makes sense to think that Cathedral Speech could be more than just a decent album, but we’ve gotta go through this ordeal and see if we’re made for it.
There’s a lot of old school Black Metal in Cathedral Speech, to the point that I really wonder if this thing was getting derivative at some point. However, the performances are so consistent, and the writing varied enough, that it’d be unfair of me to just say that. There’s speed, rawness, power, but there’s also calm and melodic moments. It’s true that Spirit Possession can do more than just smacking their instruments to death.
Even if the tracks here are on the long side, they don’t make this thing repetitive to a pathological level. I get that you people want that atmosphere over and over, but I’m just not dysfunctional enough to settle with such monotony. Cathedral Speech does a good job keeping things changing enough to stand out from the sea of Black Metal you promoters want to put me through. Imagine if Spectral Wound was a more Norwegian band, and then you get a bit of an idea of what this album is going for. But now what I don’t like.
I still feel Cathedral Speech could be less consistent and more innovative. It has great execution, but by being traditional, it ends up mixing with the million other ancient Black Metal albums I’ve had in my life. Also, the production is a divisive move. On one hand, this level of decadence fits the music perfectly. On the other, it’s been done so many times that I wonder if the band’s sound could benefit from something more modern—you know, less static noise in the background.
I’ll keep Spirit Possession on my radar, and so should you. It’s a good mix between good musical execution and that deep underground where everything smells like cheap beer. It’d be easy to alienate one or the other fanbase, but I think Cathedral Speech is that album that could be liked by all of those people. Now I need a shower, because after all this moshing and vodka, my body isn’t the same anymore.
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records
Release date: October 2th, 2026
Website: https://spiritpossession.bandcamp.com/album/cathedral-speech
Country: USA
Score: 3.5/5.0
