The Devil Is Always Looking for Souls

From speedy opening cut ‘Ancient Power’, it should be clear that Evilcult are on the same kind of path as Hellripper and Whipstriker. In recent years we have heard plenty of bands mixing the potency of pre-Norwegian black metal with bursts of speed and aggression that keep the music in line with ‘80s aesthetics, and The Devil Is Always Looking for Souls will indeed find receptive legions. What makes the sophomore effort of this Brazilian collective worth listening to is their impeccable mix of influences and generally respectful attitude to songwriting, which sees the average length of these 7 tracks sitting above 5 minutes. Thus, while the appeal of the riffing and swathes of reverbed darkness in the production point to archaic Bathory worship, the actual songs offer more than a mere energetic rehash of other bands’ triumphs.

The vocals provide a distinctive motif in their duality of low gruff barks and higher Destruction-inspired shrieks, plus the guitars have a freedom to play leads and even melodic licks that seem more Iron Maiden than Venom, although not all the riffs manage to set themselves apart to the expected degree. That leaves the songs slightly interchangeable, even if the steadier ‘Chants of the Night’ and ‘Die in Hell’ allow a new approach to come forth occasionally. Overall, The Devil Is Always Looking for Souls is a very safe bet for genre fans, just mind that you will already know whether or not you’ll like it before you begin to listen.


Originally written for Metalegion #13 - www.metalegion.com