Tag Archives: simon schilling

Album Review – Arborescence of Wrath / Inferno (2023)

Posted on by
1

This multi-national Technical Black and Death Metal entity will crush you with their vicious debut album, one of the most extreme displays of aggression in the style in recent times.

After simmering behind the scenes for quite some time, the multinational Technical Black/Death Metal  horde Arborescence of Wrath has finally unleashed their vicious debut album, simply titled Inferno, which promises to be one of the most extreme displays of aggression in the style in recent times. Comprised of a beyond formidable lineup with members from France, Germany and the United States, those being vocalist Jason Keyser (Origin), guitarists Michel Beneventi and JP Battesti, bassist Charles Collette (Benighted), and world renowned drummer Simon Schilling (Marduk), the band offers some superbly composed music with thought out structures and variations in their newborn spawn, only delivered out of pure anger with blistering speed and oppressive intensity. Add to that the incendiary artwork by Santiago Francisco Jaramillo of Triple Seis Design and there you have one of the strongest candidates for Death Metal album of 2023, a must-listen for fans of Hate Eternal, Krisiun, Hour of Penance, Origin, Depravity and Deathfuckingcunt, among other names who definitely know how to blend the most visceral side of metal music with first-class musicianship.

Wrath is a freakin’ massacre from the very first second, with Simon proving why he’s the drummer for Marduk and now also for Arborescence of Wrath while Jason also provides us all with his bestial roars in a lecture in Black and Death Metal. Then we have Carnage, and the name of the song says it all as Michel and JP sound inhumane with their ravenous riffage, supported by the thunderous bass by Charles. Needless to say, this is not recommended for the lighthearted. Their infernal onrush of extreme music goes on in full force in Hangman, again showcasing Jason’s demonic screams while Simon continues to hammer his drums in the name of Black Metal; followed by Relentless Infights, another bestial devastation by Arborescence of Wrath spearheaded by the fulminating blast beats by Simon, whereas after a sinister, operatic start the music explodes into sheer savagery in Holier Than You, again presenting a demented guitar work by Michel and JP for our total delight.

There’s no sign of slowing down for this multi-national blackened beast, as they keep destroying our souls with Cleansing Termination, bringing to our avid ears more of their sick riffs, fulminating drums, and the venomous guttural by Jason, and it’s then time to slam into the circle pit like there’s no tomorrow to the sound of Temple of Ashes, keeping the album at a high level of aggressiveness and insanity while Simon blasts his drums in great fashion until the very last second. Repentance, the last original song of the album, will send shivers down your spine, with its initial eerie intro merging flawlessly with the song’s deep, demonic sonority, resulting in six minutes of top-of-the-line Technical Black and Death Metal. And lastly, we’re treated to their cover version for Immolation’s classic Into Everlasting Fire (check the original version from their 1991 album Dawn Of Possession by clicking HERE), with the band’s own rendition of such demonic aria sounding just as hellish and thunderous as the original one.

This demonic album of first-class Technical Black and Death Metal can be appreciated in all of its (devilish) glory on YouTube and on Spotify, but you should definitely purchase your favorite version of it from the Transcending Obscurity Records’ BandCamp page or webstore as a digipak CD in the US or in Europe, or as special CD + shirt combo also in the US or in Europe. Don’t forget to also start following this demented creature from the underworld on Facebook for news and more of their music, and hopefully we’ll be able to see this multinational entity live somewhere in the near future. Inferno is not only about pure hatred and aggression, but it also showcases a band that’s beyond focused and sharp, consequently placing the album as one of the best of 2023 and the band as one of the driving forces of the newest generation of Extreme Metal.

Best moments of the album: Wrath, Carnage, Relentless Infights and Temple of Ashes.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Transcending Obscurity Records

Track listing
1. Wrath 3:55
2. Carnage 3:58
3. Hangman 4:42
4. Relentless Infights 5:01
5. Holier Than You 6:10
6. Cleansing Termination 3:06
7. Temple of Ashes 4:06
8. Repentance 6:03
9. Into Everlasting Fire (Immolation cover) 5:33

Band members
Jason Keyser – vocals
Michel Beneventi – guitars
JP Battesti – guitars
Charles Collette – bass
Simon Schilling – drums

Album Review – Marduk / Memento Mori (2023)

Posted on by
1

One of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal is back with a devilish new album encapsulating the raw and unrelenting intensity that has become synonymous with the band’s sound, reminding us that we all must die.

Four years after the release of their warlike opus Viktoria, the renowned, ruthless Swedish Black Metal horde Marduk is ready to haunt our souls once again with Memento Mori, the fifteenth studio album in their undisputed career. Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Magnus “Devo” Andersson at Endarker Studio, with photography by Håkan Sjödin and layout and design by the band’s own Daniel “Mortuus” Rostén at Holy Poison Design, Memento Mori encapsulates the raw and unrelenting intensity that has become synonymous with the band’s sound, showcasing the signature blend of aggressive guitar riffs, thunderous drums and chilling vocals by vocalist Daniel “Mortuus” Rostén, guitarist Morgan “Evil” Steinmeyer Håkansson and drummer Simon Schilling, plus guest bassists Magnus “Devo” Andersson and Joel Lindholm, evoking a sense of darkness and despair and, therefore, once again proving why Marduk will always be one of the pillars of Swedish Black Metal.

A wicked, sinister intro gradually evolves into the infernal title-track Memento Mori, spearheaded by the massive beats by Simon and the always demonic gnarls by Mortuus in a straightforward feast of classic Swedish Black Metal for the masses; and there’s no time to breathe as the band offers another Stygian creation titled Heart of the Funeral, bringing forward all elements we learned to love in their music, with Evil’s riffs sounding truly scorching. Blood of the Funeral, the first single of the album, is an absolute banger, with Mortuus vociferating the song’s devilish lyrics majestically (“High on the flesh / Of the knell and the psalm / Drunk on the blood / Of the funeral / Ridden by lust / And sepulchral thirst / I come dressed in hunger / And the trauma of birth”), flowing into the phantasmagorical, haunting aria Shovel Beats Sceptre, a neck-breaking tune by Marduk where Devo and Simon will crush your skull mercilessly with their hammering kitchen. Then back to their more venomous, demolishing mode, Devo and Simon continue to attack our souls with their rumbling bass and drums in Charlatan, while Evil extracts pure Black Metal magic from his guitar.

Coffin Carol is undoubtedly one of the most infernal and demented of all songs from the album, with Mortuus sounding bestial throughout the entire song while Evil and Devo deliver a flawless Black Metal stringed attack for our total delight. Furthermore, they keep attacking our senses with absolutely no remorse in Marching Bones, where Mortuus keeps roaring and barking in the name of Black Metal while Simon pounds his drums with tons of groove and fury, even presenting the more rebellious elements from the music by bands like The Misfits. The haunting intros found in some of the songs add a nice touch to the entire album, which is also the case in Year of the Maggot, exploding into their classic Black Metal and overflowing darkness and rage, presenting not a single second of peace as expected. Their second to last sonic attack comes in the form of Red Tree of Blood, offering our putrid ears another endless dosage of pure Black Metal led by the hellish roars by Mortuus and the always demented blast beats by Simon; whereas lastly it’s time for a sinister Doom Metal-infused aria titled As We Are, showcasing truly anguished, deep gnarls by Mortuus while his bandmates simply darken our minds with their Stygian sounds.

“Memento Mori is, all at once, a bold leap forward, a calculated sidestep, and a wistful backward glance. Meaning, we have broken new ground without forgetting our legacy or the journey that brought us to this point,” commented the bestial Mortuus about the band’s newborn black mass, and you can put your damned hands on this demonic album by clicking HERE, as well as show your support to those Swedish demons by following them on Facebook and on Instagram to be updated about their tours, their music and plans for the future, and by streaming their venomous creations on YouTube and on Spotify. Marduk’s new album is here to remind us that we all must die, distilling their Black Metal to perfection like they’ve always done, and like they will always do until their very last breath.

Best moments of the album: Heart of the Funeral, Blood of the Funeral, Coffin Carol and Marching Bones.

Worst moments of the album: None.

Released in 2023 Century Media

Track listing
1. Memento Mori 3:30
2. Heart of the Funeral 2:23
3. Blood of the Funeral 5:05
4. Shovel Beats Sceptre 5:02
5. Charlatan 4:12
6. Coffin Carol 4:02
7. Marching Bones 4:03
8. Year of the Maggot 4:14
9. Red Tree of Blood 3:50
10. As We Are 5:36

Band members
Daniel “Mortuus” Rostén – vocals, bass, lead guitars on “Blood of the Funeral” and “As We Are”
Morgan “Evil” Steinmeyer Håkansson – guitars
Simon Schilling – drums

Guest musicians
Magnus “Devo” Andersson – bass
Joel Lindholm – bass
LG Petrov – additional vocals on “As We Are”