Having debuted with the magnificent album ‘Catechesis’ last year, it seemed like the sky was the limit moving forwards for Rome’s Progressive Blackened Death Metal trio Patristic. The album was a grand totemic work that tackled themes pertaining to the ancient religious schism between the earliest Christian scholars and the polytheistic creed of the Roman Empire. The band had essentially mastered a technically intricate and busy dark sound akin to the likes of Deathspell Omega and Svartidauði (my review for Catechesis can be found on our site). Now, the band has unveiled their first live album which is comprised of high quality recordings from the trio’s dazzling performance at Not Dying Yet Volume. V Festival in Wroclaw from early February of this year. Given the band’s formidable writing and performances on the debut album, a new recording that demonstrates how their sound translates into a live setting seems like a naturally great idea.
‘Live in Poland MMXXVI’ further cements just how excellent the musicians of Patristic are. The sheer sophistication of the band’s compositions would be very difficult to render successfully in a live performance were they not a group of such immense skill. During my review of Catechesis, I levelled a hefty amount of kudos towards Sathrath, the band’s drummer. Whilst experiencing the live sound of the band here and imagining what it would be like to be in attendance at this show, I am even more awestruck with Sathrath’s sound, his power and his dynamism behind the kit. Hearing the drum parts on this release makes me rather envious of the lucky few who have so far been able to witness this band in all of their live glory. One particular aspect of this release that I really appreciate is how these in-session tracks reinforce the drama and narrative approach to the band’s conceptual themes. The opening nine and a half minute rendition of ‘Apologetica’ (taken from the group’s 2022 EP of the same name), oozes a tense ambient atmosphere between the band’s beautifully furious darkened assaults wherein the musicians of Patristic play astoundingly tightly together. This aspect, in tandem with the smoothly executed dynamic switch-ups throughout the performance hints towards countless hours of disciplined rehearsal time.
The sound of these live recordings are pretty great also, the drums are never obscured even with their rather immense busyness and the guitars feature a lush degree of clarity and detail. Lorenzo Sassi’s live vocals are just as professionally executed as they are on the band’s studio recordings. The desperation of his fierce oration perfectly complements the theatrical commanding nature of the delivery of his lyrics, there is no denying that the man is an exceptional vocalist. The performance of ‘Catechesis (Parts I, III, IV)’ form the last track on this release which is a riveting representation of that album’s multi-part titular suite. Familiar as I am with the studio tracks that form this expansive composition, the band’s incredibly accurate and powerful performance here keeps my ears absolutely glued to it from start to finish.
In the opening paragraph of my review of ‘Catechesis’, I described Patristic as something of a “potential prodigy”. For those who still have not experienced the intense shadowy historical magic that the album has to offer, then I implore you to give it at least one listen. Upon having done so, I would then recommend you to listen to this live release in order to appreciate this specific dimension to the wonderful performance art of this Roman trio. This is a fantastic live release that serves to reiterate many of the mystical bloody strengths that Patristic is currently soaking into the gilded fabric of contemporary Avant-Death.
