Review by Vladimir on August 11, 2024.

Some time ago, I had the great pleasure of checking out the latest single of the German black/death/thrash metal band Warlust, which was teasing their third full-length album Sol Invictus In Umbrae Satanae that is due to be released on September 27th, 2024 via Dying Victims Productions. The single left a very positive impression on me and it also made me quite curious to hear the rest of the album, especially since it promised some top-tier black metal instrumental work with a lot of superb melodies and tight riffing, and what did we get in the end? Stay tuned to find out… 

As the 'Serpent Crown' is placed upon the ruler, the enraged outburst of Warlust sets the strong foundation of the album, as everything goes up in flames with the energetic blackened death metal performance that means serious business. When I first heard the single 'Between Apeiron & Plague', I immediately felt a strong presence in their music, and it can be easily said that it rules with each riff and melody, which is further elevated by harsh guttural vocals and thrash metal drumming with plenty of blast beats and double-bass. It’s evident from the very get-go that the black metal instrumentation on this album rightfully shines in its full glory, possibly due to the incredibly solid riff work and the epic tremolo-picking melodies, but I think it’s mostly due to the band’s performance remaining constantly tight, fueled with hatred and burning with blood, fire, and death, never slowing down or becoming less interesting the further it progresses. Although it becomes more or less familiar during the second half once you get used to Warlust’s approach which they incorporated into this album, you will still feel the intensity and the energy of every song, because it’s just so difficult to not let these amazing riffs get under your skin, especially on such phenomenal examples like 'Legio! Aeterna! Victrix!' and 'Black Souls'. I can guarantee that this album will surely possess you with its atmosphere that flows throughout every track, but once you reach the heavy-as-hell headbanging action, of which there is plenty, then you have definitely sold your soul to Satan and embraced devastation. The progression of this album feels like a journey through the dark that leads you somewhere far beyond, and you don’t even realize that you’ve embarked on an epic adventure full of chaos and death until you reach the finale of 'Black Souls', as the acoustic guitar outro rolls the credits to this story and puts this chapter to a strong closure. 

Their songwriting provides a variety of ideas that wonderfully combine some thrash and heavy metal with blackened death metal, showcasing tons of dynamics from the numerous tempo changes to the incredible riffs. It’s always great to hear black and death metal bands taking on a rich and creative approach to their songwriting, especially if it truly feels like it takes you to another place that exists inside your mind, nicely playing with your imagination whereas you the listener constantly absorbs the majesty of the music. What Warlust does on the entirety of Sol Invictus In Umbrae Satanae is exactly what a lot of contemporary extreme metal artists are missing, and that is consistency, determination, creativity, and a focused direction, because their output here showcases that the band’s work remains just as strong as it was from the beginning of the album. Despite there being a strong sense of familiarity in their songwriting, you never feel like it’s a copy-pasted template from start to finish, because every following song throws in something different than the previous one, thus successfully keeping you on edge, sweating with anticipation and always wondering what comes next. The single 'Between Apeiron & Plague' was a very good teaser for the album that nicely showcased the upcoming devastation, but for me personally it is nowhere near as good as the rest of the album which takes everything to the next level and continues to do so until the very end. Another highlight for me about this album is the production, because of its very top-notch quality that provides a great balance between a crystal clear and a razor-sharp sound, and it’s by no means too fancy or too clean for black metal. 

I have to say that I was seriously blown away when I heard Sol Invictus In Umbrae Satanae in its entirety, because Warlust sure as hell managed to stand and deliver with their new album. There's so much great stuff on here that many will praise and enjoy for their excellent execution and overall badass energy that you just can’t get enough of. The new Warlust album has a very strong punch to it and I highly recommend that you check it out when it’s officially released. 

Rating: 9out of 10