For me every year there is that one release that has a particularly high level of excitement and anticipation attached to it. Taking that spot for 2020 are blackened death metal trio Burial who celebrate 15 years with a move to new label home Apocalyptic Witchcraft and also release of their third album Satanic Upheaval.
The album’s menacing bell-tolling opener “Encircled By Wolves” draws you straight into the occult essence, as does “Void Of Decay”. This is then followed by the track that started this particular obsession, the first track released “Hellish Ripping Screams”. Upon hearing this, I was immediately heading over to the label’s website and pre-ordering the album bundle. Also, this is hands down for me the best track on the album – the bass throughout is phenomenal, as to the main guitar riff and menacing vocals… Wow.
“Beneath The Filth” weaves into the longest track “Destruction Absolute” onto another stand out track, “Decayed By Time”. Even for an album of this style I still found myself singing along to”Barren Lands” the more I played the record through. “Devour Your Soul” has the most purposeful drum beat, almost willing the listener to march to the gates of the underworld.
Title track “Satanic Upheaval” is goat-worshipping black metal at its finest, before final offering “Cursed By The Light” ends this particular unholy sermon.
The band comments:
We are incredibly excited to sign with Apocalyptic Witchcraft for our new release and look forward to working with them on this album which is the most complete representation of our sound as a band to date, a body of work that we are very proud of and are eager to share with the world.
The album was recorded by Chris Taylor at Noiseboy Studios and mastered at Foel Studios by Chris Fielding. I do want to mention the album artwork as it was another particular draw as I associated it with the character Black Phillip from the movie The VVitch: A New-England Folktale.
Burial have created something so inherently hideous that Satan himself would have to repent.
Satanic Upheaval will be released on May 8th via Apocalyptic Witchcraft
