After releasing the career-defining Power ~ Purity ~ Perfection… 999, Colorado’s Black Metal underground legends Satan’s Host lost long-time vocalist L.C.F. Elixir.  The band quickly found a somewhat shocking replacement with the return of original vocalist Leviathan Thisiren.  Thisiren is better known as Jag Panzer’s Harry Conklin and was Satan’s Host vocalist on their Satanic Power Metal debut, Metal From Hell.  The difference between Elixir and Conklin is night and day and imaging Conklin’s range to soar over the band’s trademark Thrashy Black Metal would seem a bit out of place.  But on By the Hands of the Devil, Satan’s Host doesn’t even look to the past, they continue on with Conklin giving his career-defining performance.

The opening title track shows that Satan’s Host did tweak their style slightly to allow room for Conklin’s abilities.  However, the tweak is actually a logical progression for the band as they have, since 2006’s Satanic Grimoire: A Greater Black Magick, continued to expand their Black Metal style to incorporate more complex structures, heaps of melody and Doom-drenched riffs.  “By the Hands of the Devil” continues the progression, relying heavily on juxtaposing Doom riffs and blasting passages while Conklin stretches his range, from snarling growls to even blowing past young Halford-heights towards the end of the song.  “Shades of the Unlight” starts out slow, building the riffs while Conklin soars. The track eventually picks up to a Blackened pace.  Again, Conklin will turn heads by adding snarls and Satan’s Host shows that Black Metal can be melodic and not lose any of its bite.
“Demontia” throws in some seriously Doomy riffs and growling chants into the formula while “Before the Flame” teeters somewhere between Iron Maiden and Immortal.   “Bleeding Hearts of the Damned” clearly channels Black Sabbath’s “Planet Caravan” in both mood and style. The slower, haunting passage quickly leaps into the assaultive “Black Hilted Knife.”  Conklin really stretches his vocal chords with some of the high notes but also finds room to growl and snarl while guitarist Patrick Evil rips out riff after riff.  The spectacular track moves effortlessly between Black, Traditional Metal and Doom and makes for one of the finest moments on the entire disc.

Satan’s Host really pushes the genre’s envelope with “Revival” and “Fallen Angel.”  Both tracks employ much more melody than the majority of the material on the album.  While “Revival” is still a Black Metal song at heart, the undulant riffing, heaps of melody, shredding and Conklin’s performance push the song into uncharted territory for the genre.  “Fallen Angel,” on the other hand, shifts from the Black Metal foundation and employs a much more traditional Metal slant.  While Conklin commands the track, the real star is Patrick Evil who lays down some seriously jaw dropping riffs, melodic hooks and solos. 

“Inferior Worlds” gets back to the more Blackened material with much more sinister riffs and even a great, haunting atmosphere. Conklin expands his use of the snarled vocals while the band shows they aren’t afraid to really experiment with several tempos.  A twisted cover of The Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood” closes out the disc.  Completely Blackened and with new lyrics about the church burnings from the members of Black Metal bands in the 90s, the song closes an intense album with a bit of humor.

If anything, By the Hands of the Devil shows that not only is Satan’s Host a class act, but also able to effortlessly weather a significant change in vocal styles.  Fans of the band’s previous albums will undoubtedly be a bit thrown off upon first hearing Conklin, but by the second song, it’s pure Blackened bliss. Satan’s Host now has the ability to reach beyond the Black Metal genre and will undoubtedly ensnare fans of bands like Forbidden and Nevermore while still appealing to those that like Waitan and Dissection.  Not only has Satan’s Host completely outdone and redefined themselves musically here, Harry Conklin gives the vocal performance of 2011. By the Hands of the Devil is easily one of the best albums of the year.  Absolutely essential.

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1.  By The Hands Of The Devil
2.  Shades Of The Unlight
3.  Demontia
4.  Before The Flame
5.  Bleeding Hearts Of The Damned
6.  Black Hilted Knife
7.  Revival
8.  Fallen Angel
9.  Inferior Worlds
10.  Norweigan Wood (Bonus Track)

Total playing time:  58:47

Release Date: May 3, 2011
Label: Moribund Cult Records

Satan’s Host - By the Hands of the Devil

Reviewer: Rottenbucher

April 23, 2011

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