GORGOROTH

Let’s face it, this is the album of the soap opera that is the Norwegian black metal behemoth Gorgoroth! It was always going to be eagerly anticipated by some! Was founding guitarist Roger ‘Infernus’ Tiegs going to be able to release an album of any worth at all? Did anyone actually care after the whole, “who’s got the rights to the name?” battle. Well, from what I have seen, they do and the album has quite a bit of worth, although on first listen I must admit to being quite disappointed, but after a few weeks of listening this album has grown on me considerably. That’s not to say that I think this is Gorgoroth’s best but there are some moments that show why they carry the name with the reverence that they do. Kicking off with ‘Intribo Ad Alatare Satanas’, we’re immediately introduced to mid-paced black metal riffery (something that is the staple diet of the album) not long followed by old/new vocalist Thomas ‘Pest’ Kronenes guttural vocals, once again, back in Gorgoroth. You can’t suppress a rye grin when he sings the lines, “Rebirth of Gorgoroth” in the track ‘Rebirth’ thinking that this may be a dig at recently departed members! The last track (proper) ‘Satan-Prometheus’ which is both powerful, atmospheric and features well mixed in cleaner vocals with Pest’s rasp. The production on the album is sharp and holds its own within a modern black metal market retaining a certain rawness that allows ‘Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt’ to drip with menace yet remain accessible to those whose first dabble with Gorgoroth may be this latest album. I have heard better albums this year but this is certainly worth of attention – at least to the curious black metal soap opera fan!!!

LABEL:

FORMAT:

Regain Records

Album

QUANTOS POSSUNT AD SATANITATEM TRAHUNT

Review by Paul Sims

RUNNING TIME:

34:48

RELEASE DATE:

21st Oct 2009

TRACK LISTING

1) Introibo ad Alatare Satanas
2) Aneuthanasia
3) Building a Man
4) Prayer
5) Rebirth
6) Cleansing Fire
7) New Breed
8) Human Sacrifice
9) Satan-Prometheus

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:

Norway

"The production on the album is sharp and holds its own within a modern black metal market retaining a certain rawness that allows ‘Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt’ to drip with menace yet remain accessible..."