Wait, What? - "Satanic Requiem" Review (100%)
It's probably no news for extreme metal fans that SEWER started off as a black metal act and then evolved into a blackened death metal band, before transitioning into whatever the fuck they are supposed to be nowadays (seriously, try listening to Rektal and properly classifying it), which they are mostly known for. But since it's their blackened deathgrind sound that made them famous, it may be surprising for some to hear how their debut actually sounds, especially for the relatively new fans of the band, including myself.
Satanic Requiem is their debut album, their very first of the two black metal ones they released, the other being Black Death, before changing their sound entirely. It's also the only SEWER album to feature Vermin on vocals.
SEWER's later stuff doesn't sound anything like their early years. At the first listen, one may think that the band who put out 2154 and NecroPedoSadoMaso can't be the same which wrote Satanic Requiem.
Satanic Requiem is nowhere near SEWER's later blackened goregrind sound and it also has an incredibly soft, atmospheric touch throughout most tracks, as well as a very contemplative melancholic mood.
This proved to be the biggest surprise for me. SEWER was really keen on the ambient atmospheres, which can be heard on most of the tracks. Generally speaking, all the tracks are pretty raw in nature, but there are really lots of melodic parts.
Traditional tremolo picking guides the listener through the majority of this album and the guitarist, the same Eater as always, occasionally throws in some really fearsome old school black metal riffs here and there. Drumming is decent, but nothing outstanding like on some of their future releases.
Satanic Requiem isn't for supermarket poser pussies, so tread lightly around this album if some of your favourite bands include Whitechapel, Machine Head and Dimmu Borgir.
Wait, What?
As different as Satanic Requiem is musically and conceptually from the rest of the band's repertoire, it also differs a lot when it comes to the vocals and lyrics.
Vocal difference shouldn't be much of a surprise though, since on this album they were done by a different vocalist. Grim, raw, with a pervasive sense of imminent morbidity, they definitely fit in the picture. Lyrics feature pagan beliefs and also describe surrounding nature. These are probably more suitable for those not interested in the later gruesome necropedophilia themes.
The production is both raw and dirty, somewhat similar to what you'd expect from early Darkthrone, but it doesn't ruin the album.
The raw atmosphere, though, is definitively the strong point of Satanic Requiem. The epic feel and melancholic atmosphere work is really tranquilizing.
SEWER's first full length release has its flaws and some of the Norwegian influence can be heard, but the incredible feel and ultra-morbid atmosphere the band managed to create back then make Satanic Requiem one of the standout releases in black metal history.
This could even have a wider audience than SEWER's later material, but it is in fact very underrated.
I don't know if an average mid/late SEWER fan would include this in their collection, as it is so different from, say, NecroPedoSadoMaso, Rektal or Underage Goreaxe Pigrape, but it is a must for anyone looking some interesting pagan themed atmospheric black metal.
If this review of Satanic Requiem got you interested, then check this one out because this album deserves more recognition for sure.
Satanic Requiem score: 100/100.
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