Ceremony of Godslaying

Russian black-metallers Inferius Torment strike back with their second release provocatively titled Ceremony of Godslaying and this release finds them stronger than ever. This excessive black metal trip to hell reaches back and forth, overcoming all imposed facets in a path where the band shifts the balance between rival ideologies in support of their belief in mankind’s darkest origins. Once again opposition to God and every other spiritual enslavement is their main theme, but this time approached in a more mature, more powerful way.

Ceremony of Godslaying consists of eight greatly produced tracks, every one of them being a violent storm that destroys everything in its path and that shows early on with “Agnus Dei”. The band’s scorching riffs, incorporate a (quite modern) black metal sound, resulting in a diverse, but still satanic maelstrom. “Evangelical Key” comes next with a dark and epic intro building into a brutal riff that could have easily been found on Satyricon’s Rebel Extravaganza. Altogether the songs maintain the same formula from start to finish, crossing between black and death metal, enriched with tight and technical guitar playing by the band’s axeman Morbid, leading Inferius Torment into slightly different musical fields. Undeniably capable of creating amazing riffs, the case here is no different; the riffs are as brutal and sinister as they get.

The compositions themselves seem to be more worked and focused than their previous effort. Some guitar solos are present as well, offering themselves as climaxes in the chaotic atmosphere created (“Evangelical Key”, “Unbaptized Flames”) and bridging the ferocious aggressive riffs with dark, tenebrous melodies. Generally, Ceremony of Godslaying takes a more concentrated and atmospheric approach in the orchestration, for example those (church) choir passages in “Sola Scriptura” and “Funeral of Christian God”, granting an epic and majestic feel to the whole album. The skillfully executed drums of, one-time Belphegor (session) drummer, Torturer are certainly praiseworthy as well. At the same time, some things that I could note as drawbacks would be the cliché subject of the lyrics. It is apparent that the band wants to tell things from their own (darkened) perspective, but even the song titles seem a little too clichéd to me. The lack of originality can also be noticed in the music, resembling almost blatantly other, more well-known bands of the genre, so that is a department the band should focus on developing in their new incarnation IT.

All in all, with Ceremony of Godslaying, Inferius Torment set course for establishing themselves in the black metal scene and if they continue in that direction of self-development –now, as IT–, that goal will not be too far. Regardless, this record will please everyone who is into this kind of black/death metal in the vein of Belphegor. This is a blasphemous fist to the face of religion; get your own stance or join Inferius Torment’s blazing hell.


Lefteris Kefalas,
http://subexistance.com/

First impressions have always been important to me when I listen to a band. While some albums or bands grow on me with time some never really do anything for me, and I will almost always be more inticed to further listening if the first impression is great. With Inferius Torment I was expecting boring text book black metal. After all, with a name like that it's bound to be one big cliché, right? Well, sort of. There's nothing new under the sun regarding the songwriting on Ceremony of Godslaying, but then again it's probably some of the best blastbeat based black metal I've heard in recent years.

Ceremony of Godslaying is the Russian band's second full length effort. I find that the second album from a band is often a watered down version of the first album, but I'm having trouble seeing how this could be watered down from anything. It simply is that solid. It's got great vocals, a crystal clear production, drums that are fast and tighter than a nun and incredibly memorable riffs. In short, everything a black metal album of this type needs. Ceremony of Godslaying from 2012 appeals to me as a fan of Marduk, 1349, Gorgoroth and Dark Funeral and I've found that in regards to songwriting tracks like Diabolical Perversity and Funeral of Christian God fully measure up to classics such as Panzer Division Marduk, My Funeral, Procreating Satan or I Am Abomination.

Inferius Torment never lets their guard down. From start to finish Ceremony of Godslaying is a satanic torrent of blast beats, tremolo riffs and spewing hatred. Their recipe for destruction is simple yet effective, and during the almost 40 minutes that make up this album that recipe never grows stale.

Originally written for http://gouls-crypt.blogspot.com/

There are ways to get to know a group that can be quite strange. Thus, it is by reading a press report, published late last year that I discovered the Russian band Inferius Torment, whose leader has been arrested and accused of an unknown crime! The statement said however that the band’s new album will still be released. It is therefore with great interest that I throw an ear on Ceremony of Godslaying (2012) when it finally landed in my inbox. For reasons I never fully understood, music performed by felons always whets my curiosity.

And I was not disappointed. Almost forty minutes of satanic black metal are carelessly inflicted on unaware listeners. The production quality is impressive, especially for a Russian group (recording of the album at the famous Stage One Studio is probably no stranger to that). Indeed, the land of the Tsars has not a very good reputation in this matter; we have long been used to poor recordings coming from that country. As for the composition, it relies strongly on heavy and aggressive rhythmic, but some intros and passages are way more subtle and sometimes use traditional instruments. Thus, if Agnus Dei sends a direct blow to the head, songs like Diabolical Key or Sola Sciptura are rather inflicting painful body jabs. The similarities with brutal black metal practiced in Poland and Sweden are still quite evident, and a song like Funeral of a Christian God could without embarrassment end up on a Marduk or Infernal War album. Rare phenomenon in black metal, the last song is the best. Unbaptized Flames is an excellent tune that alternates between high-speed passages and others heavy like a ton of bricks.

Inferius Torment is a great surprise and this second album shows their seriousness. But I hope that legal problems of their lead singer will be brief. A band to discover quickly, for anyone who loves to ear bleed! 8/10

Initially written for metalobscur.com