Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence

Talking about Inquisition is talking about one of the most consistent bands in cult black metal. This new album gives us an Inquisition that is even more organic and raw than their previous work, which was in a colder and denser style. Veneration of Medieval Mysticism and Cosmological Violence takes us on a journey through the cosmos and the medieval era, filled with dark fantasy; these are the perfect words to describe this work.

Dagon, as always, with his expressionless voice, gives the sensation of being a dark entity reciting verses and dark spells, while accompanying them with those icy and raw riffs, and in some cases even melodic, but a melody that invites nostalgia and introspection. Accompanied by guitar solos that are brief but hit the mark.

The keyboards play a very important role in several of the songs, such as Memories Within an Empty Castle in Ruins, where they transport us to those castles or fortresses where there is a dense air full of nostalgia for memories that invade your mind. They add a lot to the song, as they are present but do not overwhelm it; they are simply an enhancement to a quite epic song that could be very well received live.

Another song worth mentioning is Primordial Philosophy and Pure Spirit, which hooks you from the start, giving you that feeling of emptiness as you walk through a forest on cloudy days, simply losing yourself in the music. In my opinion, it is the most reflective song on the entire album, which already has many quite introspective and reflective moments on its own.

The drums are another highlight of this album; although they are not doing very complex things, they fulfill their role by delivering such powerful hits that they strike right at the heart. They know perfectly when to speed up and when to go at half pace when the song becomes even more melodic or nostalgic. Incubus does a great job of providing those ceremonial drums that are quite organic in the production and give the feeling that you are listening right beside them.

Definitely, Inquisition teleports you to a ceremony in the medieval era where you will venerate cosmological violence for the rest of your days. Without a doubt, one of the most notable black metal releases of this year. It may not be the most technical or innovative, but it fulfills its purpose as traditional black metal.

Bringing darkness, melancholy, introspection, and atmosphere is what has characterized this style since its beginnings, and Inquisition achieves this despite having quite a few works on the market.