Do you know why Serpent of Old‘s June 2023 piece Ensemble Under A Dark Sun always slithered back down into the abyss of the oubliette? It’s because this fully bricked wall of sound bores down on you like a herd of bull elephants on a rampage.1 And that turns it into heavy fare, whereas you’ll find an abundance of juicier targets throughout the year.
But first looks can be deceptive. Because, under that heavy armor, excellence may lurk and they hit it like Negative Vortex at a more majestic pace. And this late in the year, we finally caught a glimpse of it. Discoveries ahead, the Lightbringer gleefully beckons you!
Well, Ensemble Under A Dark Sun is not only fully bricked up, it’s also extremely loud, and it takes up some greater-than-thou space in your earphones. In short, this is a record that will demand command your attention, want it or not. And you will give it that. Because, apart from a commanding presence, the production is dense but also pretty pristine. And that dangerously sounds like an oxymoron. Blackened Death and Black Metal proper brutally applied? Quite so. But all this roars in on a minutely tailored arrangement and stellar songwriting. And despite the apparent incessant soundwave, no element is really lost in the cathedral soundscape roaring toward you.
Interestingly, some tech death parts appear here and there and – rarely – you get a slight feeling of disjointed dissonance. But I would not call this dissonance proper because – suddenly – Ensemble gets you these funky little blurbs of pseudo-prog amid all those majestic Death Metal musings. And they have no place in a true dissonance record. Oh, and let’s not forget the expert growls, rasps, and snarls that always appear right on time.
The RMR crew marveled at the sturdy riffing, the delicate tremolos, and – for sure – the solos that suddenly emerged from that cathedral structure in front of us. The somewhat sober drumwork and the eery cymbals are – yet again – right on point and of excellent quality. Perhaps apart from the snare, there’s a tad too much of St Anger2 in there. And that’s not a pretty thought.
However, after many a crescendo that follows yet another crescendo of cathedral riffs, full-throated solos, and angry screeches, some sensory overload sets in. And we squarely blame that aforementioned wall of sound that rarely leaves your earphones. It’s thus real good that suddenly juicy little interludes like Virtue of the Devil in His Loins appear. Filigrane Black Metal molded into a flow of ambient sounds that recall old horrors from age-old movies – and make you hunger for more. And it’s a primordial urge, ’tis talking about the devil’s loins after all.
Unsaturated Hunger and Esoteric Lust will provide all the satisfaction you need if you’re short on time. Yet more lust and unholy appetites, all served on changing tempi, warbly riffs, a sense of underrated prog, some unruly groove, and a runaway bass that suddenly appears. This track is a behemoth that will try to bludgeon you into submission like one of those green ogres. But – at the same time – it’s also an excellent one. Now, if you have a bit more time, add The Fall to the fray. This one will neatly continue in a similar vein.
Finally, Serpent of Old created a pretty masterful record of varied and lusty Death Metal geekery. For the soft ear of the uninitiated, however, this rumbling and growling about might seem like some vile noize from Lucifer’s outhouse. It is very heavy fare, indeed. But believe you me, Ensemble under a Dark Sun is virtuosity incarnate. It is one of the better and most intricate Extreme Metal albums 2023 produced so far. And we’re glad we caught it in time to still add it onto the 2023 roster.
Record Rating: 7/10 | Label: Transcending Obscurity | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 30 June 2023