Sacramentum
Thy Black Destiny
[Century Media]


Sacramentum are often written off as "Dissection clones". While Dissection was a great band, I've always felt that this sold Sacramentum short. Their music from the beginning has been much less heavy metal-based, darker, more compact and much more aggressive. This has never been more apparent than on 'Thy Black Destiny', one of the most extreme (in the true sense of the word) releases on a "major" label in recent memory.

Because of the speed and density of the music it will be called death or "thrash" (bah!). While Sacramentum have learned well the lessons of bands like Morbid Angel and Slayer, they retain their musical ties to black metal. Though the songs are faster and more intricate, the riffs and themes are still dark, emotional and destructive. Songs like "Spiritual Winter" can call to mind Bathory, classic Emperor, or even Rotting Christ. There is still a degree of atmosphere in this record; the band didn't just rip through their favorite hard riffs and then spend two weeks polishing the production.

One of the things that Sacramentum have always done to set themselves apart is experimenting with unconventional rhythms and drum patterns. After a brief intro, drummer Nicklas Rudolfsson follows the racing, stop-and-start riffs that kick off the album in "The Manifestation", ensuring that they will be stamped into your brain and making this song one of the best album openers I can think of. Rudolfsson's choppy, textural drum work highlights the inherent personality of each song: "Demonaeon" invokes change and upheaval, "Overlord" is a vast sea of power and "Weave of Illusion" is downright dizzying.

'Thy Black Destiny' again shows why Sacramentum is one of my favorite bands. It's the dark view of the void the best black metal presents, played with the conviction, skill and ferocity of the best death metal. Sacramentum continue to play exactly what they want to, as well as they can, and without cheese. Thus they are not to be lumped together with Dissection clones, '80s revivalists, drek No Fashion bands or any other form of mediocrity. Highest recommendations.


© 2001 j.s.