Info
- Band(s): Sanctum Sathanas
- Label(s): Inferna Profundus Records
- Release Format(s): 12" vinyl
- Release Year: 2023
- Review Date: March 28, 2024
- Author(s): FelixS
n recent years, an increasing proportion of today’s Black Metal scene has come from South American countries, with Chile being the main purveyor. From that country comes a seemingly endless stream of bands whose quality is generally more than good. While this is not specific to Chile and is actually the case in most countries, many of the Chilean bands come from a fairly select group of always the same musicians. Such is also the case with Sanctum Sathanas, hailing from Chile’s capital of Santiago in which we recognise David Astorga Reinal, who makes up 50% of the band here under the pseudonym “Magus Xem Deitus”. We have seen this musician before in bands like Funeral Fullmoon and Faustian Spirit and although Sanctum Sathanas has also been around for several years, ‘Into The Eternal Satanic Damnation’ is only the band’s first full-length album.
Much of the Chilean bands have formed their music around the Scandinavian examples with a good sense of the freezing atmosphere that typified the old records of Darkthrone and Gorgoroth, for instance. The often somewhat suppressed and tucked-away melodies as heard with these Norwegian greats are also more than common with the current generation of Chilean bands. Such is also the case with Sanctum Sathanas, a band that actually faithfully follows all the well-established paths of Raw Black Metal, making it clear that they do not pursue innovation or musical adventurism.
Instead, Sanctum Sathanas deepens the existing formula and carefully crafts it into a very true-to-life Black Metal album. These already decades-trodden paths of the genre are no hindrance whatsoever to the enjoyability of ‘Into The Eternal Satanic Damnation’. Quite the contrary, you might say. When a certain musical formula is executed well, there is no need for all kinds of frills and perhaps misplaced experimentalism. The recognisable buzzing guitar tone, the melodies and especially the icy screech feel familiar and contribute to a feeling of coming home. That authenticity is what Sanctum Sathanas is all about; this debut is not a high-roller, but surely one that any straight-up Black Metal fan will be able to appreciate for what it is: a good Black Metal album.
