Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan

It is probably ironic that my favorite black metal album, Transilvanian Hunger, which utterly captivated me on first listen, is responsible for all that is terrible in black metal for the past 15 years. Darkthrone themselves understood this, that nothing "more" could be done in that direction, which they promptly turned their backs upon (with what results, one has seen).

Transilvanian Hunger, because it is so "minimalist," *appears* to have thrown out the metal tradition and to be in-itself an entire style. The result of its influence has been a disastrous paint-by-numbers of 4,000 bands that "sound like Transilvanian Hunger." Inquisition is NOT one of those bands, for the precise reason that they are thoroughly a metal band. Let's see what that means.

Inquisition basically operates in two modes--ugly, ugly, and simple grinding/blasting, with basic riffs and vocals in the barked/croaked Von style; and on the other hand, slow and meditative passages with long and "pretty" riffs, but which remain absolutely integrated into the rhythm of the song and are a kind of commentary on the condensed blasting parts.

What's interesting about this band is that they began as an extremely riffy, complicated death-thrash band in the style of early Sepultura. The first demos are absolutely bursting with semi-technical and furious stringwork. Now Inquisition make two-piece (guitar and drums) black metal cut from the simplest material, but every second of the song is still supposed to "count." That is, while other bands will bore me with long ambient or noise pieces in the illusion that I will find this to be "evil," Inquisition give even their most boneheaded and primitive riffs an intensity of performance and conviction, so that one is not waiting around for the "pretty" riffs exclusively. In fact, one of the best moments on the album is the switch from an unaccompanied, swirling guitar part into a blunt and idiotic mosh part ("Rituals of Human Sacrifice for Lord Baal"). I believe it is their emergence from an extremely riff-oriented style which makes this simpler music so entertaining, and belies its "ritualistic" pretensions.

In songs like the title track, one can hear (in contrast) what went wrong with newer Graveland. Mid-tempo, croaked vocals, cycling short riffs... on the surface, the sound is the same, but the whole *point* is different here. In Graveland, I'm not sure why all this is being thrown at me, but in Inquisition, the beat and alternating of melody with micro-riffs are not just layers of digitalia; the point is to get the listener headbanging!

This music shouldn't work at all, and the way it is put together is an acquired taste for sure, but the best Inquisition songs really put to shame all recent black metal that is too little creative to forge its own style. Inquisition's "style" is so offputting that it is only here at all because it *does* work phenomenally well.

Well, it's the second Inquisition album. The one that usually gets to be screwed up by most bands. You know the story. The debut kicked ass and once the second album is out you kind of end up expecting more, but still you say it's O.K., even though you know you are still under the impression of the great debut. So naturally, with Inquisition's first record being so awesome I thought the guys will not easily top it.

I was wrong.

Now, I don't dissect albums. I listen to them and "look" at them from various angles, and in fact, there are tons of views possible looking at "Invoking
the Majestic Throne of Satan".

The bottom line here is, you really just have to use imagination to look at it
the right way to like it. I am going to write about one angle only.
Namely the sinister, half-drugged and mystic atmosphere of it.

No, there are no flutes nor trolls here. Nor fancy synths either. Nor fake,
pretencious complexity nor any of that wannabe black metal simplicity.
It is all calm here. Peaceful, yet insanely evil at same time.

While listening to this album, the music abducts you and puts you right at the altar of Satan, inside an old church into the weak candle light. Before you even realise, you're taking part in a black mass. Sort of like in "Rosemary's Baby", but somewhere out in the distant past.

It is truly a state of trance.

Even though most of these riffs are simple, they hide a certain subtile complexity. This raw, yet somewhat friendly guitar distortion and the organic sound of the drums and percussion seem like all have been recorded inside a
catacomb, or a garage, if you want to make it accurate.
Not because the album is noisy or has a "necro -style" production, but because it has this tremendeous intimate satanic feel to it.

In a sense, this album is alive.

Unlike the production on the debut album, "Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan" is like a satanic rehearsal. That atmosphere gets into your room thrugh the speakers, and it works hypnotic. It seems vile for a while untill you get used to it, then it sucks you in and it makes you calm and sleepy. And you end up thinking that all music should be this way. Cold, passive and hypnotic, yet raging from the inside.

I assume the main inspiration inside musical structures of these songs comes from both early Immortal ( Pure Holocaust era mainly ) and some mid 80's records from Bathory. These weird, almost "tired" and echoed vocals, if taken out of the context of metal music, remind mostly of the ones of the 80's post-punk legends Killdozer with a small doze of Attila. And yes, this is already starting to be the album-dissection again. So I better quit it.

One thing must be said about the lyrics. Generally speaking, while listening to the works of this band, and by reading their lyrics, I often have the feeling
these two guys really, and I mean REALLY, adore the Black Lord.

It's those insane, intense and dark yet very simple messages they are channeling to the listener thrughout their entire set. In the best tradition of Black Metal. Not artistic in any way but simple and convincing.
Like Acheron have done, for instance, yet without mentioning satanic institutions like the C.O.S. but instead focusing exclusively on hailing Lucifer.
That lyrical approach seems far more powerful than satanic poetry written by most bands today.

And finally yes, I am a big fan of Inquisition. No bullshitting here. I am maybe
missing the healthy doze of objectivity. But I don't care really. This is just a great album and I can't lie about it. So get it and "step into it".
Hail the Cult!

Released on Warhammer Records in 2002, this is the bands second full length album, and one killer fucking record of unholy hatred, cult pagan desecrations, and goat worshiping misanthropy. Musically there isnt much technicality, but a strong direction, and individual sound is displayed very well, and keeps to a Thrashy Death Metal influenced Blackend sound. Like the second song (Enshrouded by the Cryptic Temples of the Cult) which has a variety of guitar styles, played and written well I should add, that shows an elevated level of musicianship from the bands previous albums, while retaining similiar elements to the bands previous full length, or the 5th song (the title track) which really just puts forth all the sounds this band has to offer in one fluid, powerfull, old school Black Metal track.

This album has a great feel, and a very individualistic sound that varies between militaristic, slightly melodic, raw blasting metal, and a near ambient quality in the repetition of certain songs great chord progressions. The vocals are another aspect that really gives the band its own sound. Its hard to desrcibe what style the vocals are, or even what they sound like, since the vocals overall keep to one voice that speaks slow, and has a droneing quality reminiscent of none. Odd, creative, and fucking unholy the vocals fit the music extremely well, and give to it more reasons why this band kicks as much ass they do.

The druming is executed well, and comes off sounding quite tight. Not a whole lot of rolls, or fills, but what is present on the recording perfectly fits, and enhances the sound with its pounding rythms which are in the least better then most bands.

So in all, this is one awesome cult album that blends third generation black metal with old shool Metal worship, and the creativity of two good song writers. Two devil horns raised in blasphemy to this one...