Review by Felix on November 24, 2019.

The sulphurous stench of black metal appears in many forms and the Swedish duo with the almost unspeakable name Azelisassath presents its own interpretation. This is not to say that they have found their special, experimental approach. The opposite is true, In Total Contempt of All Life is a typical black metal underground output. Nevertheless, the Scandinavians dish up their own icy cocktail while following the tried and tested methods. This is what makes black metal fascinating: the seemingly narrow frame leaves more room for creative thoughts than it seems. And we can be sure that more exciting, yet traditional variations are yet to come.

Azelisassath do not strive after new extremes. Black metal has this excessive element in itself. That makes it easy to spread the vibes of misanthropy as soon as one has completely understood the spiritual core of the subgenre. Obviously, the artists have quickly learned the laws of black metal. The scornful, partly inhuman voice coalesces with the lava-like instrumentation and musty atmosphere flirts successfully with insensitive harshness. The duo combines the well-known components masterly and the production supports the underground charm of the material. The drums, for example, fight a losing battle. Their place is the backyard and sometimes I need a hearing aid to know they are still there. But it belongs to the mysteries of black metal that usually important details become totally irrelevant as long as the spirit of the music is expressed convincingly. Needless to say, that technical tricks also do not play an essential role. The dudes are no amateurs, but high-sophisticated song structures are not their playground. On the other hand, we are still talking about black metal of the true Norwegian / Scandinavian kind and this means that the conventional verse-chorus-verse pattern does not occur as well. At first glance, In Total Contempt of All Life seems to be another primitive product, but appearances are deceiving. The album sounds raw and intense, bitter and grim, but it does not concentrate on overly simple designs.

The highlights, namely “Malignant Soul Rape”, “His Desecrating Evilness” and “Path of Misanthropic Hate”, rely on their good flow, their high degree of dedication and their pureness. One can discuss about the question which band was most influential on Azelisassath’s way of proceeding, (the true) Mayhem, early Pest (Sweden) or a combination of Urgehal and Nifelheim, but believe me, this is a monolithic output. External inspirations from beyond the black metal universe are not identifiable. The morbid severity of the compositions destroys each ray of light before the sun has the smallest chance to rise. Some desperate screams underline the total negativity of the material, but melancholic sequences do not shape the album. This work appeals to the darkest spots on your soul and only less important sections, in particular the gloomy yet actually superfluous intro and outro, do not take complete possession of the listener’s mind. However, it feels good to listen to this album and the picture disc ensures a visual charm as well. Only the subgenre-typical, never-ending flood of countless newcomers prevents that Azelisassath’s name is not better known.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Chris Pratl on May 13, 2018.

I remember hearing Sign of the Jackal way back when they were on the impressive, albeit sadly short-lived label Heavy Artillery, and I recall being most impressed by this Italian quintet. That said, like the aforementioned record label they first emerged on, they disappeared for the last five years after they produced 2013's Mark of the Beast. The short time away hasn't cost them any steps, as this latest effort, Breaking the Spell, is pretty damn solid all over.

The familiar old sound of traditional heavy metal style is what you'll hear on any offering from these guys (and impressive lady handling the vocals), so if you're a fan of Acid, early Lee Aaron, Sentinel Steel or Warlock your comfort zone won't be at all disrupted. Singer Laura Coller has the pipes to resonate perfectly long after the music has stopped; comparisons abound, she manages to shirk the tags and set herself apart from the myriad of females wailing operatically and trying desperately to hold on to that mundane symphonic metal that's still on life support despite all efforts to make it go away. This is what a real woman rocker sounds like when she's showing the boys around her that gender roles don't apply to her in any capacity. Without overdoing her range or expanding her abilities past their natural capabilities, Coller lets loose and drives the metal home with amazing  precision. She's the real deal!

The battery of Sign of the Jackal is a fresh take on an archaic, yet viable style still holding its own amid a sea of sub-genres within genres. These tracks showcase every single bit of 80's metal, a genre making a slow and steady “comeback” in the face of  the wonderful deaths of nu-metal and mallcore.  While some bands tend to just follow a blueprint leftover from bands like Holy Moses or Znowhite, Sign of the Jackal casts off stale comparisons and just settles into a groove of finely-crafted metal  that, at times, finds just enough speedy interjection to jar the senses back to a time when bands weren't so concerned with genres, tags, fitting into a mold, or appearances; SotJ is a nice spin on a classic sound. The guitars hit every nerve of power chord utopia, and the bass is heavy and fills that bottom end nicely. Further on that point, the production is really crisp and vibrant without a single trace of thin trailing or muddy overwork anywhere to be found.

Standout tracks include “Night Curse,” “Beyond the Door,” and “Nightmare,” but there's no real filler here, which is rare because usually at least one or two tracks tend to be “tag-ons” during the final touches of an album release. Nothing here can be construed as wasted time, and it's really nice to see this band that had a really killer start emerging from the dust to produce another quality product.

I think it's time to dig out my old CD's and 7” single for some reacquainting time tonight...only to eventually add this newest effort to my library, as all of you should do as well! 

Rating: 9 out of 10

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