Description

Finnish black metal act Satanic Warmaster is a one man project by Satanic Tyrant Werwolf aka Nazgul from bands like Blasphemous Evil, Horna, Incriminated, Warloghe, Krieg and Armour. The second album ‘Opferblut’ was released in 2003 and feature some really raw, old school black metal with great production and excellent songwriting. The melodies are very introspective and mournful at times. Each song has its own identity, that is, if you are actually familiar with raw black metal. The Darkthrone influence is obvious, and this is not a bad thing, yet it is unmistakably Finnish. The melodies give it away, immediately. There is variation in tempo just where needed, and the mix of the vocals is flawless. It is reminiscent of the vocals on Sargeist’s ‘Satanic Black Devotion’. Satanic Tyrant Werwolf carries on the tradition of his former bands, Horna and Pest, quite well here. The album may not be quite as evil-sounding as those bands but the melancholic atmosphere is undeniable. This is absolutely not over-produced, so anyone with a bad taste in their mouth from Horna’s ‘Sudentaival’ need not worry. The drums are low in the mix, where they belong, and the focus is on guitar melodies. If you are a fan of older Darkthrone or Sargeist, then I absolutely recommend this album.

Track list:
1. Black Destiny
2. Bound In Lust And Hate
3. A Wolf Cries In Anger
4. Pentagram And Wood
5. A Ravens Song
6. Rain Falls
7. Farewell To The Fallen