Your body and soul will burn to the new opus by this Swedish Black Metal horde, a haunting exploration of despair and wrath inspired by Sweden’s witch trials during “Det stora oväsendet” (1668–1676).

After their successful 2022 debut Doomed Before Time, Umeå, Sweden’s own Black Metal horde Scitalis returns with their sophomore opus, entitled Maledictum, a haunting exploration of despair and wrath inspired by Sweden’s witch trials during “Det stora oväsendet” (1668–1676). The band’s evolving lineup is reflected throughout the entire album, with newcomers W on drums and L on rhythm guitars joining vocalist and bassist A and lead guitarist S, resulting in a raw, emotional record that captures the agony and anger of the time while showcasing the band’s growth and uncompromising approach to our beloved Black Metal.

W already showcases his welcome card with his demented blast beats in Reborn, an old school, in-your-face Black Metal beast with A gnarling nonstop for our total delight, followed by Suffering, an avalanche of ruthless, sulfurous Black Metal for the masses led by the scorching riffs by S and L, showcasing over six minutes of absolute darkness for admirers of the genre. Seven Years Ov Blood is another bold, multi-layered creation by such an uncanny horde, with the strident riffs by S and L matching perfectly with A’s devilish vociferations; flowing into the also harsh and impious Trial, presenting hints of Blackened Doom in its sluggish beats and low-tuned bass.

This unyielding Swedish horde comes ripping once again in Burn Before Dawn, another savage composition blending the fury of classic Black Metal with the hypnotizing passages of Melodic Black Metal; and the guitars by S and L transpire pure evil in Ashes After The Fire, being gradually accompanied by the massive beats by W and the always visceral roars by A, resulting in a monumental aria of darkness and blasphemy. There’s time for one final breath of evil by Scitalis, entitled Endless Wrath, with the reverberating bass by A and his always menacing gnarls haunting our damned souls for all eternity, all boosted by another violent performance by W on drums.

After all is said and done, you’ll realize the Black Metal feast blasted by Scitalis in Maledictum (available in full on YouTube and on Spotify) is a more than perfect choice for representing the horror of the witch trials in Sweden in the 1600’s, and you can know more about the band, their music and the whole concept behind their pulverizing new album by following them on Facebook and on Instagram, by streaming their wicked creations on Spotify, and by grabbing a copy of the album on BandCamp or by clicking HERE or HERE. The burning of witches has always been a constant topic discussed by countless bands from all genres and subgenres of metal music, but it’s when you face a band like Scitalis that you can feel the fires burning your body and soul while they keep filling every single space in the air with their caustic music, exactly like what’s found in the incendiary Maledictum.

Best moments of the album: Suffering, Burn Before Dawn and Ashes After The Fire.

Worst moments of the album: Trial.

Released in 2025 Vendetta Records

Track listing
1. Reborn 4:16
2. Suffering 6:21
3. Seven Years Ov Blood 5:59
4. Trial 7:13
5. Burn Before Dawn 5:44
6. Ashes After The Fire 6:20
7. Endless Wrath 6:31

Band members
A – vocals, bass
S – lead guitars
L – rhythm guitars
W – drums