Suffering so you don't have to!
Metalcatto
Why am I reviewing a long EP? Is it because it’s Behemoth‘s? Yes, totally. If you read this and that, you’ll know I have a rocky relationship with the band. How can they reach such highs and such lows? A mystery nobody can solve. Yet, my real question when it came to I, Scvlptor—why the edgy writing style?—was: is the band more washed than Ali in the 80s, or is there still talent left?
Thechopstickdrummer
Sixth grade was fun. Yes, the year situated itself right in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, but hell, at least we learned about the ancient Egyptians! Both historians and metalheads share a mutual infatuation with past civilizations, as reflected in the metal community by strong devotees–Nile, South Carolina’s best output since sweet tea, and Polish mainstay NEOLITH, come to mind first. Since 1991, the latter has been eviscerating, desiccating, and wrapping the people of Poland and beyond in linen with a classic combination of death and black metal. Inbir, meaning “war” in Sumerian (widening their scope of ancient societies, I see), is the band’s sixth installment of this threatening sound, so I’d better get listening and lamenting about its potential shortcomings before I’m ḫȝtb*
Metalcatto
Welcome back—it’s been one day! So let’s get into what the new year already has in store for us. If you were hoping for brutal and merciless blackened death metal, then today is your lucky day, because I’m here to show you what Shine have to offer with Wrathcult. An album with a promo campaign more pagan than an Edda Reddit thread. So prepare your spells and animal bones, because this is going to be one of those mythological trips—or at least I hope so.
Metalcatto
I know! We’ve just reviewed some Death/Doom, so why are we doing it again? Well, not every day do we get some of it from Poland, and I thought, well, let’s see if pierogi isn’t the only thing they do differently there. So here we are, ready to dive into some hardcore depression that somehow makes us feel good for at least a few minutes before we’re dragged back into the pain and sorrow of capitalist existence. Oh, sorry! This is Death Has Spoken’s Elegy — let’s go!
Metalcatto
Behemoth is a band with many faces. Just check out our rankings here and here to see what I mean. That said, I’d argue we’re now deep into the band’s edgelord era—where the music has remained relatively stable, while the lyrics and aesthetics have pushed harder toward controversy. Whether that approach works is up for debate. For me, the real issue is that Behemoth seems too comfortable in its sound and achievements. That’s why I approached The Shit ov God with caution, though still with a shred of hope.
Metalcatto
We have unfinished business with Behemoth, and as we prepare for (whatever these guys do next to) be smeared all over us, let’s continue this journey through its discography. If you haven’t read the first half, click here! Now, without further ado, let’s jump into the best half of this band’s catalogue — the one filled with actual legendary work!
Metalcatto
If you follow us on social media, you’ll know I have a complex relationship with Behemoth. This is because the band only has two modes: either it absolutely blasts me away, or it makes me sink into the worst depression ever—because of how much disdain I end up feeling. So in the end, I’m not angry, just disappointed. Join me in this ranking, where we’ll reach the lowest lows and the highest highs Metal can offer before.
Stargazer Scholar
The last thing we need is to add another branch to the ever-spreading tree of Heavy Metal subgenres. Yet I can’t help but think that many bands emerging over the last decade would fall neatly under the umbrella of Cathartic Black Metal. Something must have shifted in our perception of the world, and instead of the ever-venomous, devilish malice of the cold second wave, we arrived at a different kind of darkness. Bands like Mephorash, Mgła, or Schammasch spearheaded a more comprehensive approach to Black Metal, blending the cosmic and the personal in one existential cauldron. These bands may be different in their aesthetic direction and the subject matter of their lyrics, but the underlying urgency of their craft and the strength of emotions they evoke in the listener somehow make them a part of a movement.
Metalcatto
It’s been a while since we reviewed something darker than your credit score. Dormant Ordeal has already been flirting with glory before. The band isn’t just some other pointless, bashingly heavy act. If anything, it reminds what Behemoth would sound like if it truly embraced Black Metal and stopped the edginess. Hence, Tooth and Nail comes with the difficult task of putting the band where it should be, the top of the Metalsphere. Let’s see if the music fits the art quality.
Stargazer Scholar
Every genre has its stalwarts—the defining bands. Artists who pioneered the movement or managed to establish themselves as a beacon of quality for everyone aspiring to navigate similar sonic terrains. Poland’s Obscure Sphinx, with three excellent full-length albums and a few live releases under its belt, may be standing on the shoulders of the giants that came before, but the uncompromising, visceral talent of this Atmospheric Sludge Metal combo should have long ago earned it a place in the genre’s pantheon. But since the band, true to its name, remains underground, let me try to right this wrong by covering its newest mini-album.
Metal Eclipse Reviews 