Mons Veneris is a Portuguese black metal project formed in 2003 in Torres Novas. The name, taken from Latin, translates to “Mountain of Veneration” and reflects the project’s dark, ritualistic atmosphere. It is widely believed to be the work of a single musician known as Lord Infaustum, who has remained deliberately anonymous.
Emerging from the underground as part of the now-defunct Black Circle Collective, alongside acts such as Vetala, Irae, and Decrepitude, Mons Veneris has built an extensive and uncompromising discography. The releases range from raw, lo‑fi Black Metal to eerie ambient works and occasional classical‑influenced pieces featuring violin, cello, and piano.
Early recordings, like the 2004 demo ‘Das Catacumbas’, leaned heavily on synthesizers, while later albums such as ‘Vicit Sathanas Pater… Eum Sequamur’ (2008) and ‘Mistérios Satânicos Disformes Infernais'(2020) expanded the sound into more experimental and immersive territory.
Many tracks are left untitled, adding to the project’s aura of mystery.
In recent years, Mons Veneris has embraced longer, more atmospheric compositions, culminating in the 2024 release ‘Ascent Into Draconian Abyss’ through Signal Rex, a work that continues the project’s descent into chaotic, oppressive, and otherworldly soundscapes.
This untitled EP from 2021 contains two 10-minute long tracks of intense tortured Black Metal: ‘Ritual of a Neverending Doom’ and ‘A Scythe Infested with Plagues…’. Influences from LLN acts like Vlad Tepes & Mütiilation come to mind when listening, but also the insanity of bands like Vetala, Abruptum and Irae. A clear, yet gritty production adds to the underground mystique of Mons Veneris’ music.
The theatrical vocals sound totally possessed with their plaintif howling, often shifting to shamanic chanting. Supported by wailing synths, the gruesome raw Black Metal bashes on without become repetitive or boring. People who have this MC will know what I mean, you get drawn into the darkness of Mons Veneris.
It has been released a while ago, but can still be experienced on YouTube, I believe. And Bandcamp offers many other releases from Mons Veneris.
For those who have never heard of this classy Portuguese underground phenomena, this EP is a worthy introduction.
