Gorgoroth - Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt

October 7, 2009

Reviewer: Rottenbucher

Perhaps now more known for their law violating concerts, prison sentences, internal strife and lawsuits over the band's name than their uncompromising raw music, Black Metal legends Gorgoroth shake all the drama of the past five years and deliver some great grimness and newfound restraint. In a risky move, Gorgoroth does something unexpected: They slow down.

Founder/guitarist Infernus revamps the band by bringing back vocalist Pest and guitarist Tormentor while adding Obituary's Frank Watkins on bass and former Dark Funeral/Dissection drummer Tomas Asklund. The opening “Aneuthanasia” is a icy blast of both groove and speed while “Prayer” shows a lot of diversity with a combative slow and mid-paced tempos as well as a reliance on grim melodies. The band slows down even further with the haunting "Rebirth." Pest snarls and snaps over a moody bed of grinding guitars. At over 6-minutes in length, song surges with chilling riffs and offers heaps of atmosphere with its slow pace. The galloping “Building a Man” gets things back to the blackened bleakness but tweaks expectations with another batch of grim melodies the while “New Breed” succeeds with bellicose rhythms and neck-snapping grooves. The trashy moments of “Cleansing Fire” rip with rage while “Human Sacrifice” features a nice collision galloping rhythms and blasts of undulant riffs. “Satan-Prometheus” returns with the shredding Black Metal the band is known for but somehow ups the ante with more restrained riffs and some chilling roars and clean vocals from Pest. The album closes with the doom-friendly “Introibo ad Alatare Satanas” that again features clean vocals from Pest and some of the heaviest riffs the band has ever unleashed.

Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt is easily the most varied, mature Gorgoroth album to date. Instead of walls of white noise, Infernus and band have crafted a very atmospheric disc that benefits from not only variety of the songs, but within the songs. For once, Gorgoroth seems secure with slowing it down and allowing the drummer to do more than blast away. Several songs nicely build upon riffs and the changing tempos allow for much more breathing room for not only Asklund, but the listener. This, however, will also irritate those fans expecting another icy maelstrom of uncompromising, grim Black Metal. The slower pace that is prevalent on this album will undoubtedly annoy some fans. That doesn't mean there isn't blistering parts on the disc, it's just that Gorgoroth is belting out some well crafted, challenging Black Metal. 

Coupled with great production and soulful performances, Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt should easily appeal to those outside of the bleak Norwegian Black Metal scene. While a very ferocious disc and risky album, Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt exudes heaps of sinister class and ditches the abrasive excess of the past.

Release Date: November 11, 2009 
Label: Regain Records

TRACK LISTING

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

Total playing time: 35:05

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