Review: Inquisition – Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence

Review by Ralka Skjerseth

Inquisition – Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence

Record Label: Agonia Records

Year: 2024

Rating: 8.5/10

Having been through numerous trajectories in terms of craftsmanship over the course of many years –from experimenting with Thrash in their earlier years to Black Metal in their later years, the Colombia-bound Inquisition embarked on yet another new milestone by releasing a ninth full-length entitled Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence via Agonia Records.

With recurring lyrical themes that cover a multidisciplinary range of topics, such as cosmology, paganism, occultism, and prehistoric culture, Inquisition remains extraordinarily off-kilter in their own way, paying homage to the abyssal dark forces through the very aggression that they present on their sounds. As the title suggests, it is an album that combines diverse elements at the same time; an amalgamation between medieval-themed nuances, cosmology, and all things related to occultism and blasphemous forces.

Inquisition

Inquisition chose to retain their consistent way of presenting old-school blast beats, accompanied by trenchant leads. They are also vehemently characterized by lo-fi sound production and buzzing resonances in the form of guitar riffs, making their style all-around distinctive and noticeable. Specifically, on the album Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence, they attune to the style that would remind their listeners of Abbath, or Immortal in general, when it comes to the riffs and blasts, while the vocals are comparable to Darkthrone.

As an album that highlights a strong emphasis on mysticism and the occult, the atmosphere that they were trying to build in a form of 45 minutes of belligerent cacophony perfectly matches the themes of the album. The range of versatility that each track presents is also mesmerizing; for example, the track “Memories Within an Empty Castle in Ruins” appears to be melancholic and contemplative, the track “Pathway of Light is a Pathway to Fire” is a tranquil medieval-themed interlude which serves as a perfect contrast to the other tracks that are more inclined towards violent transgressions, the track “Primordial Philosophy and Pure Spirit” is one to lean towards melodious undertones, and the track “Lord of Absolute Darkness and Infinite Light” features dungeon synth elements.

Overall, it’s a breathtaking discovery by far– kind of impressive how they managed to converge a multifaceted range of topics altogether as a foundation of their lyrical concepts, ranging from satanism, cosmology, to medieval-era history. It is also an enthralling take on how Dungeon Synth also belongs to the Black Metal soundscape.