Satan's Cross

Satan’s Cross is a Mexican black/doom metal band consisting of S. on guitars, bass and vocals and M. on vocals, also known as Sulphur and Mercury when performing with the heavy/doom metal act Violet Magick. The band digitally released their debut EP, the eponymously titled Satan’s Cross, in December 2014, but the German label Dying Victims Productions picked up the two track presentation for an early 2015 seven inch vinyl release.

Satan’s Cross features two tracks, “Sumerian Night” and “The Conjuring”, which combine for a grand total of just over eight minutes of material. The band cites the likes Mortuary Drape, Venom, Bathory, Death SS and Mercyful Fate among their primary influences and, despite the broad swath of metal those acts cover, it really serves as a fine starting point for the sound that the band is going after. Imagine a form of old school, first wave black metal that is dipped in the waters of occult doom and traditional heavy metal and you’ll have a fair idea of what’s to come.

The release starts off with slow plodding, featuring rumbling bass lines and crunchy, crawling power chords while raspy, growled vocals begin setting a rather occult tone, taking nods from the Italian school of doom, notably Death SS and Paul Chain. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering their other band, Violet Magick, is firmly rooted in the realms of old school Italian doom. Before you know it, though, the band delves into a faster, blackened metal style, encompassing the pummeling percussion of Hellhammer with a dose of Venom-tinged riffing. Frenetic trem riffs are scattered throughout, adding a slightly second wave tinge to some of the riffs while keeping the presentation rooted in things much older. Rather than stringing together dusty doom and old school black metal into a haphazard amalgamation, Satan’s Cross sandwiches the two separate styles together, resulting in a diverse playback, even if the doom is exhibited far less than the dirty black metal.

It’d be interesting to see if Satan’s Cross allows the doom to shine through more on a full length album, but as it stands, Satan’s Cross is an interesting debut that serves as a preview for this newly formed act. Certainly an act to keep an eye on, this Mexican duo brings a first wave sound that is choked with the dust of occult Italian doom metal. There’s certainly room to grow for the band, but they give an interesting twist on the old school revival.

Written for The Metal Observer.