Sacrilegium "Ritus Transitorius" CD Digipack

Comes in 8-panel digipak.
Another fantastic slab of black metal comes from the Polish outfit Sacrilegium. The had already been active in the nineties before having put the band on hold. In 2015 they returned with a single and full length number two called “Anima Lucifera”. A few months ago they released the successor to this one called “Ritus Transitorius”.
Hard hitting trademark chords are pitched against mesmerizing and at first glance slightly disharmonic-sounding melodies, creating an unholy force of destruction. The main chops are mainly reminiscent of classic black/death bands but the melancholic nature creates a slightly apocalyptic or even post-metal feeling.
The crawling bleakness and the haunting harmonies building the backbone to the heavy instrumentation are a very important factor to the overall picture that is painted on this record. While the tempo is kept in mid-tempo most of the time there are some very slow and intense but also faster sections. The songwriting is great with some well-placed tempo changes giving the whole album a great flow. While there are some impressive solo pieces the song structures are never too complicated making this album quite easy to enjoy from the first moment on. The lead guitars are mainly used to create slightly disturbing soundscapes and not for some technical wankery.
Each of the four tracks clocks in between five and six minutes so there is always some kind of build-up and various sections within each single song. The sequences of the various parts have been chosen in a way to make each track feel diversified yet stringent at the same time. The trademark chords are complemented by superb drum work, well considered patterns that enhance the outstanding guitar work and a predominant rasping growl of a delivery that ascends to a blackened gurgling scream, both deliver with clarity the lyrical content presented in Polish (I assume).
“Ritus Transitorius” comes with a flawless and powerful production. The mix is clear and the overall sound is very transparent but not sterile. The drums have an immense punch and even the bass is audible. Sacrilegium have delivered a highly professional product that is easily on par with the works of better known bands. If you like your black metal well-produced and relentless yet emotional then this record should be on your list.

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