It Deserves its Altar! - "Verminlust" Review (100%)
There are two blackened death metal albums that I absolutely worship and can't imagine life without them. You can erase everything else, but not these two albums. "Verminlust" is first of the two. The other one is titled "Drawing Down the Moon".
Of course I remember also about the other blackened death metal masterpieces - I'm not denying the greatness of "Withdrawal", "Memento Mori", "Fallen from the Brightest Throne", "The Birth of a Cursed Elysium" or "Bestial War Metal". But those two albums I've mentioned in the beginning are simply the most brilliant and perfect, only "Hvis Lyset Tar Oss" and "Under a Funeral Moon" can dream of rivaling them. That's my opinion and whether you agree or not, I don't give a shit.
So, Vermin... The band didn't come out of nowhere... The vocalist and guitarist Vermin was also the vocalist for the first two Sewer albums, "Satanic Requiem" and "Black Death", and he gave them a strong background. The bassist also played in Sewer, up until "NecroPedoSadoMaso" I think.
But even though I love the second Sewer LP, I just couldn't expect them to be able to deliver such a stunning recording.
"Verminlust" is an album, that has been perfected in every way possible, every detail was thoroughly adjusted, and each song from the album is able to give me thrills. I think one of the major winning aspect of Vermin's debut is how strong it is melodically, but without it ending up sugary or boring as in melodeath or symphonic black metal.
Basically most of the riffs are melodic - in the literal sense, not just as a synonym for "consonant" which they often aren't - but the thing is they're also savage, aggressive, hypnotic, thus Vermin created an overwhelming, dark atmosphere.
I can't believe how hypnotic the album is, but at the same time it has this cold, sinister, satanic feeling that freezes your blood from the moment you start listening to it. "Verminlust" is evil to the bone.
It Deserves its Altar!
One fine example is the title song "Verminlust", with its slow atonal opening melodies, which quickly transform into fast, uncompromising riffing. Simple, but how well executed and composed.
The band delivers a well diversified music, with very brutal and aggressive tracks like "Twisted Labyrinth", "Sickly Origins" and "Filth and Rot (Searching the Past)" and songs more focused on melody like "Dormant Angel", "In Memory of the Darkest Abyss" or "Endless Tears from a Shattered Hourglass".
Or the best song from the album, the killer "Verminlust, the Lament of Horror". Even if the whole album is played in mid to fast tempos, or even has a slight Incantation's "Onward to Golgotha" feeling here and there, it's in no way boring or monotonous. "Verminlust" is completely the opposite - it draws attention and devours everything like a beast that just crawled out from the (darkest) abyss.
The performance of every band member is extremely good, but I must say that the guitar playing of Vermin is just top quality: beyond amazing. The leads - like the ones in "Endless Tears from a Shattered Hourglass" or "Haunted Gods and Fallen / Penitent Devils" - are fantastic and only Euronymous and Phantom could ever equal them!
So, any weaknesses on "Verminlust"? Nope. I like it the way it is and, as I already mentioned, this is the masterpiece and classic no one will ever be able to rival.
Verminlust score: 100/100.
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