Review: Nahasheol – Serpens Abyssi

Prepare to ascend off this mortal plane into a great Luciferian awakening. A new age is upon us; a stretching of the black metal genre’s fabric over previously unfathomed spiritual territories, and it’s by the guiding light of Lucifer that we’re able to traverse these newfound depths of Satanic darkness. A perilous venture without said luminance it would surely be, but alas the pathway to enlightenment lays before us and the benefaction of His many blessings awaits those bold enough to take their first steps. And if you make your way far enough into the shadows, you’ll surely encounter Nahasheol – at home and thriving within the depths – in the throes of ritual and baring diabolical gifts of their own. On November 3, Nahasheol, through ancient rites and a sacred pact with Wolves of Hades / Argento Records, will unveil their debut LP, “Serpens Abyssi”.

Serpens Abyssi

As per most albums of this variety, with “Serpens Abyssi”, you can expect to absorb energies both violent and palpable as they emanate from the core of every passage, from the rhythm section up and through the azures. The atmosphere alive and pulsating with the crepuscular radiance of The Father and raining down upon us from impossible heights, relentless flurries of overwhelming compositions: complex riffing patterns and towering rhythms to bolster a most accomplished vocal contribution. Commanding roars to match the music’s terrifying level of intensity echoing mightily through the mix in conflict with, but somehow dominant over, every other phase.

This is a textbook occult black metal experience, complete with unpredictable twists and turns throughout some of the genre’s rarely traversed environments, but tied together by a fundamental level of repetition; a little ear candy here and there to keep you entranced as each hypnotic moment passes. Sheer power and unstoppable momentum from the awe-inspiring “Arcanum Mortuus” with its gorgeous tremolo riffs and sweet as honey melodies to the midway point in “The Awakening”.

Where never-before-conceived spiritual heights are reached, all the way through to the final moments of “Devan Thanatha” – the record’s most powerful offering. All phases revved and dialed into the red in a controlled but dangerously intense unleashing of the most magnificent arrangements. The voices of a thousand souls crying out godlike Luciferian incantations loud enough to reach even Him as he sits proudly upon the highest throne of The Eleven.

Conclusion

It’s as if they’ve been at it for decades. There’s no awkward moments and no wasted recording space filled with gaudy intros and weird cinematic elements. Straightforward despite its many complexities; a fine example of musical wisdom in action. And the project was only hatched last year. A future as bright as the Morning Star ahead for Nahasheol, even considering the brilliant output being released by their esoteric counterparts.

There’s a welcomed level of discipline to this recording that, I feel, is missing from many of the like albums that have been released by Nahasheol’s fellow occultists recently. We’re still talking black metal here. Transcendental in nature? Absolutely, but grounded in those above-mentioned fundamentals. The result is an album of epic and dreamlike but also appropriate proportions. So praise be unto the Light Bringer! And may he guide you through the shadows forever more…

9.5/10

Links

Bandcamp: Serpens Abyssi | Nahasheol (bandcamp.com)

Your thoughts?

You can listen to the album via the Black Metal Promotion stream or by clicking on the video below

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