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Satanic Warmaster – Exultation of Cruelty

satanic warmaster – exultation of cruelty

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No announcements, no preview tracks, nothing: like a bolt from the blue, Werwolf just dropped the newest Satanic Warmaster full-length. Created in total isolation, ‘Exultation of Cruelty’ is meant as a return to the values of the Black Metal underground of the early 2000’s. To times where, to quote the master himself, “Finnish Black Metal bullshit of today didn’t exist”. Leave it to Werwolf to make a statement.

Bold as that quote may sound, there is not a single lie contained within. ‘Exultation of Cruelty’ is a fierce departure from the last few Satanic Warmaster albums. Raw, uptempo and minimalistic in riffs, the latest recordings come closer to the works of especially Judas Iscariot and Moonblood, with obvious hints of Burzum, Mütiilation and the first Nargaroth album as well. If we were to look within the frame of Satanic Warmaster albums, ‘Exultation of Cruelty’ probably draws closest to the sophomore album ‘Opferblut’. A departure from the more grandiose sound of ‘Aamongandr’ and ‘Fimbulwinter’, instead offering a piercing dagger straight through the heart.

‘Exultation of Cruelty’ is an ice-cold masterclass of primitive Black Metal. From the pummeling tempo and minimalistic riffs of ‘Black Circle of Death’ to the at least momentarily more midtempo ‘As Blood Snarls a Macabre Silhouette’, the minimal approach and entrancing character of the riffs remains uniform. Songs like ‘Inhale the Cruelty of Winter’s Breath’ and ‘Behold the Infernal Kingdom of Hell’ lean slightly towards the skincrawling sound of the French Black Metal scene of the 90’s, whereas a track like ‘Lord of Blood and Darkness (Der Drachenprinz)’ is almost epic through the subtle use of keyboards. In ‘Exhale the Vapor of Starlit Tombs’ a similar feeling is conjured in the riffs, not unlike Moonblood’ did on ‘Taste Our German Steel!’. But the highlight of the record is the majestic closing track ‘A Dead Rose for a Dying World’. Epic, midtempo and dripping with sentiment, the background keys and developing guitar riff are a showcase in atmosphere building and a testament to Werwolf’s exceptional talents as a songwriter.

Not only is ‘Exultation of Cruelty’ a return to the sound of the early 2000’s, it is also a return to its aesthetics. A time where Black Metal was menacing, raw and imperfect. By leaving in some of the musical slip-ups, it gives the album that authenticity and sincerity that are at the core of the developing Black Metal scene and remove the album from a time where plenty of Black Metal dangerously slips towards the overproduced and tame kind. In doing so, Werwolf not only delivers on his promise, but also reinvents Satanic Warmaster once again, with one of the finest records in the band’s impressive discography.

Werewolf Records

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