Review: Ofermod – Pentagrammaton
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Review by Alexander Welt
Ofermod – Pentagrammaton
Record Label: Shadow Records
Year: 2020
Rating: 9.5/10
“PENTAGRAMATON” pretended to be the first full-length album by the Swedish entity OFERMOD, after their acclaimed and venerated EP “Mysterion Tes Anomias“ (1998).
Unfortunately, as Michayah Belfagor explained at that time: “Obviously, the chaos forces did not want that the album was released” the cause of it, was a series of delays due to Belfafor´s illegal activities in 2006, in addition to that it was also the tenth anniversary of the band and they also introduced to Moloch or NSK from Teitanblood as a vocalist, but the opus remain unpublished and it was replaced in 2008 by “Tiamtü“, (an album that’s fully created by Belfagor, except for the vocals, that were sublime created and recited by Leviathan).
Before that I begin to essentially deconstruct this masterpiece, I would like to tell you that this album will be available until June 22nd, 2020, according to the recent announcements by the legendary SHADOWS RECORDS, (Label Founded by the guitarist / bass playerfrom the extinct band Triumphator, Mr Marcus Tena, well known also as Deathfucker), and that once was the home of pioneer bands such as MALIGN and FUNERAL MIST, that obviously would be responsible for this launching, that it will be only distributed and commercialized by REGAIN RECORDS.
Before that the disgrace would take over and postponed the release of the opus, the recordings were already recorded at Necromorbus Studios, however, the demon was silenced and remain unpublished until today, when I had the opportunity to listen to it in order to share it, with you through subjective words regarding what can we appreciate over here.
As per was announced a few days ago through SHADOW RECORDS web site “PENTAGRAMATON“, will be launched on June 22nd, 2020 in a double LP vinyl edition and double CD with the original line up; Moloch (vocals), Belfagor (guitar), Theom (Mortuus) (bass) and Chivah (Necromorbus) (drums), including some lyrical contributions by Atum (Dödfödd, Reverorum ib Malacht), however that line up was split a bit later that Belfagor went to prison afterwards that recordings were finished. “Finally, is been launched a version that pleases to the session participants” according to Belfagor´s words.
Loyal to my personal style, I will begin to speak, of what I consider, the most important thing in an album, the lyrics, even though for those, just like us that we have been already indoctrinated by the entity in the deepest way, we know regarding the promulgation of their songs, As per was also revealed in the site, OFERMOD ´planted the seed for the Orthodox Black Metal movement, that it was blooming in the new millennium, “PENTAGRAMATON“, contains the whole Black Metal twisted essence but stylish, improving and possibly distilling that most powerful essence.
It’s everything of what could you expect of their debut album, afterwards that the EP ““Mysterion Tes Anomias”, was launched. It´s like if some portion of the history would be torn up out from the phase time and many of you will not let me lie, this is PURE BLACK METAL before that it was distorted with that O.R.D.M. (Orthodox religious Death Metal) of Tiamtü.
This is a recording generated through the real pain and misery, the magic and the mystery (Draconian), and now, many years later, it´s victorious and eternal. Its pure Satanism and theistic, from the infernal regions where Belfagor, feels himself as he was at home. The magic of the chaos that was directed from their obscure altars as Black Metal art shape.
As per we can appreciate at the album´s cover artwork, Belfagor’s head staring ward down (Nox´s clavicle very well marked on his forehead, in order to open doors to the darkest place of our own being), where is located the symbol of the demon Belial, that is one of the 72, Salomon´s spirits. In recap, we are facing to a forged gem with the orthodox satanism most pure and sophisticated and the Evil´s worshipping in its maximum splendour. As own, our being should be emancipated with the Black Metal.
Now shifting to the musical side, “PENTAGRAMATON”, it´s built with the most impure Black Metal aura, following the traditions formulated by their predecessor “Mysterion Tes Anomias”.Belfagor, repeats the dose of creating that aggressive atmosphere of the Swedish worshipping, that it’s being based of the overwhelming rawness, in a way that the guitar’s tone it feels so primitive powerful and heavy at the same time, and suddenly it immerses yourself in a status of pleasant tension. That is really captives yourself immediately.
We can feel that in their opening track “Persisting to Die in Thee” that beings to medium tempo and that it takes a series of changes that you can´t even believe. This is Black Metal made for the apocalypse, big riffs, one by one, marking each change that it goes deep every time even more into the pit, and that it floods each tremolo with chaos and euphory.
The second track is “Tiamtü“, that we all know perfectly, only for obvious reasons, Moloch´s screams must have to be emphasized, that it provides a more cavernous sense than the one that was showed by Leviathan, his vocals it feels more buried into the depth. Without any doubt was a very good decision to invoke to Moloch for this recording, his deep colour scheme and cavernous, it provides to the album some sort of depth and density.
The third offering is called “Unfolding Paradow in Final Redemption“ and as the first one is plagued with big rhythm changes and speed that are growing in every moment. The hit of the box is dry, and it allows to appreciate much more the perfect explosions that Chivah give us, something similar of what he offered us in “Salvation” of Funeral Mist, only, here he is faithful to Belfagor´s baton.
The fourth song is titled “The Becoming of Pentagrammaton“ and is undoubtedly one of the most memorable of the piece, gathering some reminders of the main´s riff from “Chained to Redemption” at the beginning, and then moulding it, invariants of devastating tremolos. It’s a quite good track, that it shows perfectly the intentions of the band ungodly evocation.
Continuing with the fifth song titled “The Birth of a Man God“ you already have some space in order to breath, its a slower song, with incredible progressive tones and heavier riffs, that it give a slight glance of what it was “Tiamtü“, a bit time later. It’s a track quite stylish that provides much more presence to Theom´s bass.
Later, the power increase during the sixth song “Foamborn Kytheria“, with a memorable peek to the old DISSECTION, is a very explosive song, but at the same time the melodic guitar elevates high above of the rhythmic, creating a series of heavy intervals, with an assaulting death metal riff, and the melodic atmosphere strongly improves the song´s structure (so far I can´t make a decision for any favorite one).
So, we have arrived the final section with the last track tittle “A Likeness to Yah“, that closes the opus, in the best way that it could expect, disturbing riffs, marching under explosive and precise drum rhythms. The recital contains a series of mantras sang by (pure speculation ) Belfagor, and the principal melody in the middle of the song is very similar and is used in the venerated “Pralayic Withdrawal” almost until the end of the song and then at the end unleashed in the chaos.
“PENTAGRAMATON”, is an album that undoubtedly is the living reflection of what it is the SWEDISH ORTHODOX BLACK METAL, that invokes in all their magnificence. Is the perfect synchrony of masterminds that works in Black Metal art form, that it does not have the intention to prove anything to nobody, simply it was the result of the creation of a masterpiece, that the magic and mystery was given to Belfagor, 14 years ago. And just like himself said, is the beginning of the ugly reality of the Black Metal taken to extreme levels where it belongs, above the naïve eyes that wide open, as a creative process able to have a place in the most destructive conditions.
It´s a SUCCESS for Michayah and Marcus Tena, launching “PENTAGRAMATON”, in these dark days and the chaos that pursue us. Just like the full-length launching of “The Demo 1/95″ by Malign that it will arrive very soon, on June 15th, 2020, and definitely it will be another success for SHADOW RECORDS.
I´m looking forward to the release to the darkness of “PENTAGRAMATON” in order to acquire it and staring at properly. ¡Full worship and veneration of the Devil at the end of time!
A.M.S.G. ¡Eternally!
Ofermod – Pentagrammaton (Official Album)
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