The Czech Republic threw its hat into the black metal arena back in 1996 with the overly-prolific Inferno, which has an amazingly long discography of EPs, split releases and full-lengths to its credit. Black Devotion is the band’s latest CD, offering an ear-splitting sojourn into pure evil and heresy. In a virtual sea of mediocrity and ho-hum bands, Inferno can stand apart from such polluted and parasitic collectives.

While it’s long been established that black metal music is going to stay permanently stagnant in its sound, style and persuasion, it still remains a genre that should be highly scrutinized with every band that offers new music. When nothing original can be attained, keeping the essence and purity (if such a word even applies to black metal anymore) of the genre remains a constant, as well it should. Watered-down, insipid garbage infiltrates every genre of music, but more so in black metal because every band with limited talent thinks they can tune down, vocalize up to a sonic shriek and make a million hellish dollars. These upstarts truly attempt to kill the genre, not enhance it, but thankfully Inferno isn’t one of them.

Black Devotion is what any good black metal album should be: a lesson in atmosphere, hatred and attention to the masters before it. With chaotic drumming the likes of which Hellhammer, Grim or Frost might salute, the consistent smattering throughout of such rebelliousness is a welcome change from the newer bands who are vying so desperately to refine and add melody to their songs. Sarapis drums with the best of them here, leaving me exasperated after hearing the guy. Old-school fans of Darkthrone or Immortal will find wondrous solace here as Inferno creates a work that might well be one of the better black releases in the last year or two. It creates a feel of true “second-wave” black metal with very slight hints at black thrash seeping into the fray, and quite nicely I might add.

A track like “Holy Poison” is harmonious discord that is indicative and exemplary of what it is that black metal is still trying to convey some eighteen years after Norwegians found the formula for fire. “Eaten by Rats Forever” moves along at such a pace that you might actually feel as if you’re nearing consummation while fleeing down a long underground tunnel. With the right amount of imagination, Inferno can take you places otherwise unavailable through conventional or non-chemical means. 

As far as the typical black metal production, Black Devotion is above the board in that department with just enough “kvlt” feel to sustain the fans of the sound and elevate the more modern fan accordingly. While not a black metal masterpiece, the album is an added notch in the endless line of black metal releases, though this certainly scores in the win column.

Release Date: September 25, 2009
Label: Agonia Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Prolog
2.  Superior Will
3.  Whisper of Hope in Bloody Tears
4.  Holy Poison
5.  Eaten by Rats Forever
6.  Loyality of Honour
7.  Altar of Perversity
8.  Message to Ages
9.  Sign of Hell
10.  Way to Illumination Lies
        in Darkness
11.  Epilog

Total playing time:  47:36

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*Comments:

Inferno - Black Devotion

Reviewer: Chris

March 24, 2010