Includes 6-page booklet. 500 limited copies
Infirmos Vocat Deus Fidei is a four way split from Black Plague Records and Symbol of Domination Prod. featuring four American black metal bands: Wormreich (Alabama); Diabolus Amator (Texas); Gravespawn (California); and Vesterian (California). Each band offers three tracks, with the entire album running a little over hour. While each band brings their own take on the blackened arts, the whole of Infirmos Vocat Deus Fidei serves as a fine companion to your nightside rituals.
After being delivered a nearly insurmountable tragedy in April 2015, where two members were killed in a van crash during a North American tour, Wormreich has done the unthinkable and clamored back out of the shadows to unleash their chaotic, ritualistic black metal upon the world once again. The band starts off with the scorching “Feeding the Ouroboros”, which shows the band finally controlling their chaotic sound. Dissonant, think riffing and mesmerizing percussion charge forth as the the vocals writhe and slither. It’s a great start to the split, but unfortunately, like on their latest effort Wormcult Revelations, Wormreich gets lost within their desire to create chaotic material. There are some great ideas on their next two tracks, especially the main chorus riff during “To Render the Right Hand” and the intoxicating, swirling maelstrom that closes out “Terra Mortuorum (Call of Nvathron)”, but it honestly sounds like the band is still trying to find their direction. It’s impressive that the band even came back at all after being dealt such a devastating blow.
Diabolus Amator follows the chaotic swirling pulse of Wormreich’s tracks with three reverently archaic songs. Second wave worshiping black metal is the order of the day. From the mid-paced “Sanity and Her Daggers Return” with its sweeping yet swaggering riffing to the blasting, iron plated attack of “Ravenous Fog of Deceitful Winds”, its clear that this project was meant to worship the dark gods of black metal. While there is really nothing new to behold during Diabolus Amator’s tracks, it’s a fine display of second wave worship.
Gravespawn and Vesterian close out the album and are being mentioned together as they are seemingly cut from the same cloth of high speed, whipping trem riffing driven black metal. Interestingly enough, the band’s share a member, Verigo, who plays bass for Gravespawn and guitar/vocals for Vesterian. Gravespawn’s tracks are a little energetic, with a little rhythmic palm muting and trailing melodies in places, offering a sound that is fast paced and sweeping. The riffs play through with underlying melodies lurking throughout. Vesterian sound is similar, yet a little more on the chaotic, blasting side of things. The guitars do offer some solid leads, but in a more slasher, razor-bladed kind of way than Gravespawn. Their songs come across fast paced and bleak, instead of the darkly triumphant sound of Gravespawn.
Infirmos Vocat Deus Fidei offers four American black metal bands in one setting. While there isn’t much continuity between the acts, their differing approaches to black metal kept things moving along. Wormreich has managed to crawl out of a personal hell to unleash a middling, yet rather chaotic set of tracks. Diabolus Amator faithfully follows the path set forth by the early-to-mid ’90s Scandinavian black metal scene. Vesterian brings a blasting, chaotic assault, full of high speed trem riffing and snarled aggression. Stealing the show, though, Gravespawn offers three songs of solid, melodic yet aggressive trem riffing and energetic song writing. Regardless, here’s direct proof that the American black metal scene is thriving all over the country.
Sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpX7IyiwFHI
Sample:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzW9DIS5KDY
