CD Review: Satyricon - Volcano

Black metal has never been a strong genre for me. I've had brief encounters with it from time to time, but I never spent a lot of time with it. Therefore, I am not the most knowledgeable about it, nor am I it's biggest fan, but once in awhile an album or artist will hold my attention for a time. I have picked up a couple of black metal albums and compilations over the years. The one thing that always struck me about black metal, as opposed to other metal sub-genre's like hardcore and thrash/speed, was the presence of melody. There is a lot more melody going on in here then in other metal forms, why I could not say, but it's there. Satyricon's Volcano is no exception.

Volcano is my first experience with Satyricon, and after my first go through, it was destined to be my last. But, I spun it through a few more times, listening a bit closer and my attitude changed. I started to hear more layers to it, picking out melody lines, little instrument flourishes that would be missed if you didn't pay close attention. During my first listen, I didn't pay the attention to it that it requires. All I heard was mass noise from the guitars, constant repetitive drum smashing, and growling vocals. I am not saying this is the be all, end all of black metal, but there is more to it if you listen for it.

The album opens with the aggressive "With Ravenous Hunger." A decent opening track, gets the adrenalin going. It has some good tempo changes and double bass work, keeps it interesting. This movies into a song, "Angstridden," that starts with a more traditional metal riffing, before ratcheting up the tempo behind Satyr's growl. This brings us to possibly the best track on the album, "Fuel for Hatred," this features complex tempo and rhythm changes and some great drum fills. The album continues it's path of destruction reaching it's climax with "Black Lava." Which continues the trend of rapid fire drumming with a wall of guitar on top of it, good way to finish off the exercise.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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