At the witching hour, ritualistic bells ring and gentle
harmonious chants rise into the space, and around them the crackle
of a raging pyre can be heard, inviting the invasion of demonic
forces around the coven bonfire. With a similar atmosphere begins
the debut odyssey of Ignis Mortis, “Hæresis Maleficarum”,
consisting of three brutal tracks, unfolding in about 20 minutes
duration.
Resurrected from the dust of cult Finnish black metal band Evil
Might, Ignis Mortis are masters of the genre who definitely know
how to create whole soundscapes in the listener’s mind and provoke
them to the limit.
With that being said, “Hæresis Maleficarum” is one of those titles
that grabs you by the throat from start to finish and you can’t
catch your breath for even a moment between the ferocious blasts,
furious vocals, always well detailed ambient elements and towering
moments like powerful ritualistic choirs. Listening to the record,
you can’t help but get a huge rush of raw energy and fervor – the
authenticity of the musicians will easily transport you into a
state of weightlessness and provoke pleasant shivers on your
skin.
After the ambient-oriented introduction to its occult
landscapes, in “Noitasapatin irstaat søjättäret” – the first track
of the album – expected demonic whisperings are heard and
after a beautiful atmospheric prelude of a more ethereal
instrumental, the song explodes into a relentless and obsessive
black metal opus – fiery vocals, in places multi-layered, fly
through cold beautiful tremolo and smooth drums, delivering a
mystical and obsessive atmosphere you can’t tear yourself apart
from.
Amidst the veil of mysticism and aggression mixed with demonic
possession and ritualistic blood, beautiful synths and other
ethereal elements shine through, adding depth to the record. I
especially like the slower tempo of the song, which in this case
has a special attraction and helps to sink into even more
unfathomable depths of the music.
The second track from the album – “Kali Yuga Mysticus” is
categorically a passionate, fiery and defiant song with a wild
temper and a huge amount of boiling energy that builds up more and
more as the song goes on. And when the blinding fury is joined by
moments of ritualistic male choirs soaring into space, the song
takes on a particularly mysterious and immersive path. A pure
ritual honoring the Age of Darkness.
Finally, “Sanguine Luciferian Vampirism” hits the audience with the
screams of victims terrified from the coming evil and outlines a
bloodthirsty and merciless attack. This is probably the most
traditional track of the three on the record, featuring the genre’s
typical fierce guitars and drums, high pitched and powerful
traditional harsh vocals, and of course, last but not least, the
typical medieval synths that always refer to the
fascinating dark dark ages filled with mysticism, violence, blood
and magic.
“Hæresis Maleficarum” fascinates with its ability to hold tension
and paint blood-soaked mystical pictures through a ritual of raw
and, in these times, detailed music scorched with hellfire. With
such a strong and thought-provoking debut, I can only tremble in
anticipation of what lies ahead for Ignis Mortis…
Listen the full album premiere prior to release date
here:
Album: “Hæresis Maleficarum”
Band: Ignis Mortis
Release date: Ferbuary 9th, 2024
Label: Hammer of Hate
Order: https://bit.ly/49qcGXZ или https://bit.ly/3uA5tWu.
Mother of THE VOID.
Underground music is the ultimate weapon against mediocrity.
