Ondskapt is back with their fourth studio album “Grimoire Ordo Devus” and it cannot get any better. Grimoire Ordo Devus is a very deep and profound dream state and the album lives up to its name thoroughly. This Swedish Black Metal juggernaut leaves no stone unturned when it comes to the raw old school brutality of the Black Metal music.
The “Prelude” track is the calm before the storm. The heart aching screams, the whispering voices and the bone chilling incantations prepare you for the storm which is about to be unleashed. Tracks like “Semita Sinistram”, “Old and Hideous” and “Devotum in Legione” are fast and furious from the start to end. They capture the flavor of old school black metal with heavy influences from fellow Swedish torch bearers like Dark Funeral and Marduk.
However, tracks like “Excision” and “Possession” constitutes the melodic Blackened Death Metal side of the album. Ondskapt has always been known to embrace the raw and edgier side of the Black Metal music so, this melodic elements adds a new layer to this album. This is what makes this album a must listen not only for their hardcore fan base but for the new and casual fans as well. Tracks like “Ascension” features some amazing guitar solos which will give you the sense of a profound dream as advertised.
Lastly, the vocals complement the ambient sound in a very perfect manner. The variations from low gnarly growls to the high pitched banshee screams are a thing of beauty. This album is everything that you already love about Ondskapt and some more in the form of the melodic and ambient sound. Trust me; you do not want to miss it. (Besserwisser)
