Marduk "Serpent Sermon" CD

Mortuus’ Plague Angel entrance was an opportunity waiting to be capitalized on. It was something Morgan and Devo knew full well by the time of Rom 5:12, marking a turning point in the band’s long history. It was a second wind for them, rejuvenating the stagnating black metal punch line into a vibrant powerhouse. This modern sound was solidified on Wormwood, effectively putting any question of the band’s inhibitions to rest. Then there is Serpent Sermon, arguably their most solid offering of the new era. Not even taking into account the roll they were on to get here, it was another blast of cold, pitiless black metal created with almost effortless ability. Morgan and company fervently delivered a gem of an album, creating their best and most complete work in years.
There’s more than meets the ear with Marduk and their penchant to profane, and it starts with their frontman. For as long as I’ve known of his existence, Mortuus has always been absolutely nuts. He gurgles, screams, roars, growls, shrieks, and gives possessed sermons befitting of someone exemplifying pure evil. He’s such a dynamic, dominant force that his impious vocals become a commanding vessel for the album’s sardonic spirit. The lyrics penned are sensational, dramatic, vile, and as vivid as you’d expect for a band this experienced in mocking religion and blaspheming. It’s top-tier conventional expression that is central to Marduk’s aesthetics and purpose.
There’s no shortage of spiteful tremolo on any Marduk album (the only shortage are solos). Serpent Sermon boasts a collection of frenzied riffs and melodic black-esque leads, all soaked in a cleaner, scything distortion. Devo’s production gives the album a backbone; the richer weightiness juicing the songs to their fullest potential. This means a pleasurable-yet-full guitar tone and that trademark molten bass audible from a mile away. Drumming feels potent and balanced, with copious blast beats, engaging fills, and other simple techniques to complement any direction the band takes. From the vulgar relentlessness in “Hail Mary” (and its chaotic solo!), to the Dissection-stylings of the title-track, the dissonance-laced touches of “M.A.M.M.O.N.”, and the melodicism of “Into Second Death”, this is as tight as it is epic.
These qualities are best apparent in the mid-tempo songs where there’s room to breathe and immerse yourself in the malevolent atmosphere. The hypnotic “Temple of Decay” has those beautiful cascading chords and riffs supplanting the wild energy of the other sinful speedsters. The bonus epilogue “Coram Satanea” has the ritualistic (almost Rotting Christ-like) build-up paying off with melancholic leads for extra bang. Yet “World of Blades” is the song that brings everything together into one bass-heavy, climactic reward. That lengthy bridge with its pulse-like drum beat embracing an ominous, apocalyptic tone makes this loaded with cinematic effect.
Serpent Sermon belongs in the same breath as other great modern black metal albums. It’s molded by contempt, bred with character, straightforward by principle, and catchy as hell. Marduk created a timeless album that treads familiar ground while doing a lot of interesting things with it. The bass is addicting, drums are on point, guitars are pristine, and the songs absorb you like a sponge. They ascended in triumphant fashion here and never really returned to this level of excellence since.

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