Review by Fernando on July 6, 2022.

From the blasphemous wellspring of extreme metal that Portland, Oregon seems to be turning into, we have the abominable Triumvir Foul, who after five years unleash their newest (and supposedly their last) full length titled Onslaught To Seraphim through Vrasubatlat and Invictus Productions.

Triumvir Foul certainly play filthy and blasphemous death metal but they’ve also displayed a technicality and a strong sense of atmosphere that not many other bands in this style play, or rather, they give it their own spin. Specifically for Triumvir Foul, however, they’re masters of balancing fast and pounding speed with overwhelming and lumbering midpaces seamlessly and on this third opus they’ve refined that mastery to absolute perfection. Onslaught To Seraphim is an experience like no other and is by far the band’s most accomplished record yet, not only expanding their style of wretched death metal, but also pushing their extremity to its nadir. On top of that, the band managed to pack quiet the burst of pure extreme metal in a surprisingly short amount of time, so that makes the record much more compact than previous records, and also displaying a tighter focus in short songs that are each substantial. Furthermore, this more focused approach is not only present in the songwriting, but the pacing; at under 35 minutes the record is as long as it needs to, and it's never boring nor does it drag.

My only main critique is that the short length can also make the album fly by very quickly, which isn’t a “bad” thing, but if this is the band’s final album, then they ended things leaving me wanting more. Granted there’s 2 other records I can check out, but still. However I do have to praise Triumvir Foul for wanting this record to have as high an impact as possible, regardless of length.

In regards to more specifics, the fact that such unrelenting death metal is the handiwork of two people is astounding. They have such tight chemistry, all instruments work in perfect unison, and yet, members Ad Infinitum and Cedentibus still manage to flex their technicals skills, the latter being the major standout on drums. It's his fills and beats that enhance the seamless transition between the blistering speed and lurching mid pace, and that’s not to downplay the skills of the former, Ad Infinitum’s vocals and strings are the commandeering force in the record. His riffs, bass lines and especially his demonic vocals are certainly what gives Triumvir Foul its unique aspect, and again, both he and Cedentibus are in complete sync in their flexing. And another very appreciated aspect of the instrumentation is how the band incorporates ambiance to close off or open songs. The subtle yet effective use of what seems like synths and effects give the songs not just atmosphere but also depth, and like everything else, it jells excellently and organically.

Overall, while I would’ve liked Triumvir Foul’s final chapter to be a bit longer (maybe one 7 to 8 minute song). Also, how they're taking their bow is not only as good as their previous works, but it’s easily their best in both technicality and execution. Sad to see them go, but glad they were here anyway.

Best tracks: 'Flesh Diocese', 'Bašmu Enthralled', 'Horned Creations', 'Slither Of Corruption (The Demise Of The Three Serpents)', 'Onslaught To Seraphim'

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Fernando on February 29, 2024.

From the dark fens of East Anglia, The Infernal Sea! Yes, the plague doctors of UK black metal have returned with their fourth LP, Hellfenlic and this time released through yet another iconic British extreme metal label, Candlelight Records. The band has certainly managed to work their way into the upper echelons of black metal, and their last album, which was appropriately released during a worldwide pandemic, adding a touch of macabre fate, was a surprisingly excellent outing where the band truly nailed their own sound. And now, four years later, the band now delivers a new album, and with a lofty concept about the infamous Witchfinder General, Matthew Hopkins, who led a reign of terror in the band’s native East Anglia. Does The Infernal Sea still deliver, or are they now resting of their laurels?

Well, I’m happy to say that the band once again deliver venomous and vitriolic black metal, and much like their previous outing, it’s deeply rooted in the old ways of black metal, but more interestingly, the band have officially shed their overt influences and are now fully realized as their own entity. For starters this album doubles down and relishes in the band’s sonic exploration of classic British heavy metal melodicism, and punkish black ‘n roll, while also bringing back their early sorrowful and macabre atmospherics that made them known with their sophomore The Great Mortality. In that regard, this record can be seen as their darkest yet in terms of concept and execution, as well as their most ambitious. And indeed, this is an ambitious record, while the band are no strangers to concept albums, Hellfenlic is the band delving deep and delivering a full account from the aforementioned Matthew Hopkins in the first person, each song, which is presented from the perspective of the maligned Witchfinder General, tells his full story with gruesome details, vocalist Dean Lettice with his screeching howls truly embodies the hate, paranoia and insanity of the demented Hopkins and from the first track to the last, you get the full picture of the horrors of the witch hunts that plagued Europe in the pre-Industrial age. The fact that the band so effortlessly delivered and understood the assignment of this uncanny concept that’s as relevant today as it was centuries ago is the true mark of their ambition and their talent.

However, while any concept album sounds good on paper, the music is what truly makes this record, and fortunately the band didn’t skimped on that area either. As I said, this record continues the band’s ever expanding dynamic songwriting and understanding of black metal, with added atmospherics that were underplayed for the previous record, and both elements work perfectly together sonically and with the lyrics and concept. Much like the cruelty and madness of the Witchfinder Hopkins himself, the music switches from utter brutality and fast aggression, into forlorn mid paced riffs and bass grooves and sorrowful melodies. The best tracks are, of course when the band hones into a sound, if you want thrashing black ‘n roll full of punk attitude, ‘Black Witchery’ will scratch that itch, if you want pure black metal, the first three tracks got you covered, and if you want pure dark atmosphere, stick to the end with the closing tracks ‘Frozen Fen’ and ‘Messenger Of God’, but make no mistake, the entire album is a synthesis of all those elements, and more. It goes without saying that The Infernal Sea truly hit their stride, and this is for sure their best record so far, which is impressive given how solid their body of work is.

There’s very little to complain here, even the technical aspects like the production and individual performances are at their peak in every sense, and to find faults would be to nitpick, not to mention this is a perfectly paced record and there is zero filler and each track has enough variety to work on their own, while also being essential pieces of the album as a whole. If this is the type of record that started 2024 Anno Domini, then this will be a good year for black metal, hopefully. Highly recommended.

Rating: 10 out of 10