Label: Folkvangr Records
Date: April 22, 2022
So time for the first review I write in whole this new, 2023 year has come! This time my choice is an American black metal act called Serpentshrine. I’ve been in touch with Bryan for a really long time and this is actually the third release of the band he plays bass and sings since the birth of the ensemble in 2015 I’ll write about. So, it seems I reviewed everything that Serpentshrine ever created. By the way, previous reviews weren’t for Abaddon who probably wasn’t even an undetermined idea yet in these times, so I guess it’s something accurate to tell you a few words about the band. Of course this is not even a short biography, just a few lines to let you know something about it. As I said before, they were born in 2015, so it’s maybe not too old, but still experienced enough. “Allegiance…” is their second full-length. Debut one, “Besetting the Altar”, saw light of the day or perhaps better to say: darkness of the night more or less two years after three of Virginia’s residents decided to create a band. Then, next year, the EP “Occultum Exordium” arrived. Here’s no place to describe these things, so if someone’s interested in what I wrote about them, then you’re welcome to contact me and I’ll send you both reviews.
But here’s a place and time to describe music you can find on their newest child. Contrary to the first two ones it’s released by the label, Signal Rex, and also format is different than it used to be earlier. Well, about this I’ll write a bit somewhere at the end of the review, too. Right now I’ll concentrate on music as well to give you as much information as possible. Hopefully they’re useful to help you in your decision whether you should or shouldn’t buy this. I heard somewhere in time this is the best way to start everything from the beginning. The problem is I have no idea what’s the most important thing for you on here. I mean, is it the number of tracks or what sub-genre of metal they play (even if I already wrote this in first lines) or maybe something else. This is quite individual stuff as well. That’s why I’ll just do it the way I’d like to read in review, even if not every time. You know, the worst thing is a routine. By the way, the album takes something like forty three and half minutes and it’s about eight songs. Except “Blaze of the Narthex” they’re not too long, even if some of you surely expect the shorter one after getting to know what kind of Metal the band presents. Anyways, I’ll tell you what. I was quite surprised when I saw how long “Blaze…” is.
Instead I’ll write the kind of black metal I like! There’s no sign of another sub-genres of our beloved music, of our lifestyle in this music. At least not as huge as they are entitled to name it in the term describing Americans creativity – that’s real, dark like a tar black metal. There happens pretty much in this music and that’s why not only so called true black metalers will listen to it with pleasure, I guess. Riffs, drumming, vocals and bass work are definitely Black as well! I somehow feel this is what Helel ben-shahar likes and appreciates such worshiping Him art. Anyways, the track I mentioned before is a little different from others. I mean, its tempo is slower, but still not too slow and I’d never call it depression or something.
Just its common character is more atmospheric, even majestic then in the case of other songs.
Generally this is good stuff in my opinion. I don’t say it’s a masterpiece like for example “Worship Him” or “Ceremonies of Opposites” were, but this is still it’s very nice to listen to it and I’ll surely back to this stuff as often as my journalistic, and not only, activities (but this is first of all about the journalistic ones) allow that. You know, reviewing this or other stuff, creating some smart questions for the interview and so on takes quite a lot of time. Anyways, have I written directly what you should do with this limited to 200 copies CD? I think I don’t have to do it, because people who listen to Metal (especially if they like all or almost all kinds of music and in every one can find something interesting) are intelligent. This is also, as I know, released in digital form as well.
Contact: hailtheserpent@gmail.com (band) or signalrex@gmail.com
