Hey, I am really glad bands like Black Witchery that stick to the roots of the genre still do exist, as much as I am glad we still have Nun Slaughter and Cianide around. This band succeeds in catching the very basic essence of Black Metal and turning it to a Cd like this "Upheaval of Satanic Might", a triumph of true Black Metal mayhem - just how fucking violent and true this thing is can be understood only by listening to this stuff. Black Wicthery have all the integrity that lacks in basically all the gay Norwegian band ranging from Carpathian Forest to Taake etc. Here you don't have the nice melodies to hum along and the nice gleaming black hair flowing in the northern wind which attracted ninety-nine percent of the present populace of underground girls in Metal (which thought Black Metal was just gothic music with popeye vocals and faster riffs). It is amazing how can a band from Florida understand so much about trhe true Black Metal spirit. No fake shit like Mutiilation, Maniac Bucther (ah ah) or Nargaroth, here you got real necromantic fury just like the kings Blasphemy taught us to identify Black Metal for. Musically here we have no finesse, thanksfully. Here you get a riff per song and that riffs fucking sticks to the end, a droning, dissonant chord that pulses evilness till the end with ever blasting hate, top of the lungs blasphemy shouted at the face of christ, and a ritual hammering beating which can be compared to the first Sarcofago releases. I also love the production which is rude and grating but totally fitting, this recording sound is as acid and masculine as the best Cianide. There is not a second of stop and not a second of nice easy music here, and I totally love it this way, god damned! You got the essence stripped of all bolloks, just the basics of the genre. You also get a cover of "Ritual" by Blasphemy at the end of the Cd, which of course rules and sticks a middle finger in the ass of all winter forest posers. My only complain is still the same I had before: the vocals are an inhuman scream but lack depth, they're violent sure, but a singer like MkM of Antaeus would have definitely made this album a definute masterpiece, using his vocals to add variation to the music while keeping the songs simple. Black Wicthery are a stand alone insigna of true Black Metal spirit, no shit, and I think this is one of the best true Black Metal bands around, together with Revenge, Blasphemy, Antaeus, Deathspell Omega, Funeral Mist etc. If you like it evil don't go for the Scandinavian penguins, please. The true icing on the cake here is Chris Moyen's artwork which we also previewed on their first album. True Black metal artist for true Black Metal art.

 

Tracks (9): 1 - Blood Oath 2 - Heretic Death Call 3 - Profane Savagery 4 - Baphomet Throne Exaltation 5 - Holocaust Summoning 6 - Hellstorm of Evil Vengeance 7 - Darkness Attack 8 - Scorned and Crucified 9 - Upheaval of Satanic Might