Infernal Mantle, from the UK, descends upon the earth with their debut release ‘Raise the Banners of Satans Front’. This self released EP is traditionally raw yet still goes on to build an atmosphere that leaves the listener in an almost meditative state, a condition all fans of atmospheric Black Metal should be used to.
The first track on this EP, ‘Tanks of Eosphorus Legions’ is aggressive and hateful from the get-go, a theme that continues throughout this release. The traditional guitar tone and screeching vocals only go on to further this point. Yet within the title track we can hear a melancholic atmosphere being created as the guitar playing shifts to a DSBM-like melody not so far removed from the likes of Silencer and Lifeless, cold and isolating yet still holding that aggressive Black Metal feel. With the final song ‘Pendraconion Black Metal’, we can hear this aggressive style continue, bringing this EP to a close.
This EP is twelve minutes of atmospheric Black Metal that is bound to be a comfortable listen to all fans of Behexen, Satanic Warmaster and Beastcraft. Not too long yet not too short, this release gives us a perfect glimpse of what is to come from Infernal Mantle in the future.
