Review by Felix on November 26, 2023.

Satanic Warmaster belong to these (more or less one man) bands that seemingly never deliver low quality albums, but they also will probably never reach the highest levels. Werwolf, the mastermind behind the project, is able to write very good songs, but the last step, the final touch of ultimate excellence is missing from my point of view. Nevertheless, the debut “Strength & Honour” shows that he has been a competent composer right from the start. His songs do not lack maturity and signs of awkwardness are completely missing.

The seven tracks teach us another lesson of malicious, grim black metal. There are not many breaks and surprising twists and turns have gone lost between the rehearsal room and the sound studio. Given this situation, the songs are quickly decipherable, but fortunately not predictable. The drums set a fast pace, the guitars pick up this tempo and Werwolf’s vocals add a bitter note. Generally speaking, maybe five or ten percent more depth would have helped the songs to become real black metal gems. Nevertheless, there are truly fascinating details to find in some of them. The opening guitar line of the title track draws the listener into the song right from the get-go and the more or less atmospheric, keyboards-supported part in my personal highlight “A New Black Order” also leaves a sustainable flavour.

Homogeneity is written in big letters over “Strength & Honour”. The songs are by no means interchangeable, but even the blindest chicken can recognise their common origin. Unfortunately, the same animal cannot completely ignore the politically more than dubious lyrics as well. “Enthroned Aryan spirit, the resurrection of our Reich”, did the good man sleep in history lesson? On the other hand, provocation is a wide spread stylistic device in the genre and I don’t want to take this gossip too seriously. “Der schwarze Orden”, a synonym of Hitler’s SS, is, as expected, another lyrical disaster. I don’t enjoy this antisemitic nonsense, to say the least, but fortunately it is the pretty cold and quite strong music that characterises the full-length. Ultimately, we are talking about a music album and not a book of poetry.

The closer “Night of Retribution” marks a great finale. Its opening guitar line is as effective as the one of the title track. The entire guitar performance conveys a merciless aura, because the production has been done very well for this album. I like these productions that walk the fine line between underground atmosphere and professional appearance. “Strength & Honour” (fortunately not “Blood & Honour”!) does not lack pressure and creates a permanent aura of ominous twilight. No doubt, this is, despite its lyrical trials and tribulations, a recommendable debut and its spiritual connection to the works of bands like Horna or Malum is definitely a good thing.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Jeger on March 19, 2025.

For 38 years… Yes, you read that correctly, the UK's Cancer has been spreading death across the international DM circuit in epidemic proportions. Right alongside the greats of the UKDM scene did Cancer formulate: Carcass, Benediction and Bolt Thrower. Six, soon to be seven LPs make up their discography. The forthcoming seventh chapter in Cancer's macabre odyssey, Inverted World, will be unveiled on April 25 via Peaceville.

2018's Shadow Gripped saw Cancer as an original lineup unit for the first time in decades. A statement maker, a comeback album for the books! A celebration of all things gruesome as usual for this pack of malignant miscreants. Now, with a revamped quartet lineup, founding member John Walker (guitars, vox, songwriting) and Cancer are reaping death's harvest once again. The bounty is an eldritch one: tales of dystopia, religious indoctrination and the Acid Bath Murderer. For the most part, Inverted World is one of those "pertinent to our times" death metal records, as opposed to an old-fashioned gore fest. These albums always suck. Dying Fetus -"Killing on Adrenaline" ring a bell? It's like these guys want us to be aware of death when we should just be reveling in it. Musically, Cancer embrace not the ways of the ole US of A. Not much in the way of technicality or brutality, more like a steady and balanced approach to composition. Something akin to Entombed - "Left Hand Path", just not as heavy and more thrash-inspired.

I think these themes have been run through the fucking wringer by about a million death metal bands over the years, so zero points given on that front. Yes, gore and Satanic themes have been pervasive as well, but that's how the genre was founded! I don't need some guy's take on how corrupt and dystopian our shit world is. Perhaps these boys should listen to Obituary's "I Don't Care". It's about not giving a fuck about the degeneration of our planet. You see, that's what DM is all about, and maybe I've got this wrong, but I think I just heard something about a native tribe and some horrible ordeal they've endured over the course of Satan knows how long… Yawn…

There are a few tasty guitar parts to take in here and there, but a lot of this stuff just fails to make any kind of dense impact and seems to drag on too long. The titular track exudes some unabashed Morbid Angel vibes, while the following track hits like Immolation's past two rapturous albums crossed with a little caveman Gorefest action. Don't get me wrong, Inverted World is a fine record on the musical front, but a little lyrical creativity never hurt anyone. Listen to some Asphyx, Massacre or Nile and call me in the morning. This is a true death metal album done very much the English way: simple and primitive, but reserved/refined in regard to songwriting/engineering. Product is the highlight of the record for me. Simón Da Silva and V. Santura create a dark suspenseful sound and mix it all together flawlessly; a melding together of phases, as opposed to an outlining of each one. With Inverted World, Cancer doesn't shit the bed, nor do they astonish anyone either. A solid DM album, no masterpiece, good enough to get chubbed up…

Rating: 7 out of 10

Review by Felix on November 26, 2023.

Satanic Warmaster belong to these (more or less one man) bands that seemingly never deliver low quality albums, but they also will probably never reach the highest levels. Werwolf, the mastermind behind the project, is able to write very good songs, but the last step, the final touch of ultimate excellence is missing from my point of view. Nevertheless, the debut “Strength & Honour” shows that he has been a competent composer right from the start. His songs do not lack maturity and signs of awkwardness are completely missing.

The seven tracks teach us another lesson of malicious, grim black metal. There are not many breaks and surprising twists and turns have gone lost between the rehearsal room and the sound studio. Given this situation, the songs are quickly decipherable, but fortunately not predictable. The drums set a fast pace, the guitars pick up this tempo and Werwolf’s vocals add a bitter note. Generally speaking, maybe five or ten percent more depth would have helped the songs to become real black metal gems. Nevertheless, there are truly fascinating details to find in some of them. The opening guitar line of the title track draws the listener into the song right from the get-go and the more or less atmospheric, keyboards-supported part in my personal highlight “A New Black Order” also leaves a sustainable flavour.

Homogeneity is written in big letters over “Strength & Honour”. The songs are by no means interchangeable, but even the blindest chicken can recognise their common origin. Unfortunately, the same animal cannot completely ignore the politically more than dubious lyrics as well. “Enthroned Aryan spirit, the resurrection of our Reich”, did the good man sleep in history lesson? On the other hand, provocation is a wide spread stylistic device in the genre and I don’t want to take this gossip too seriously. “Der schwarze Orden”, a synonym of Hitler’s SS, is, as expected, another lyrical disaster. I don’t enjoy this antisemitic nonsense, to say the least, but fortunately it is the pretty cold and quite strong music that characterises the full-length. Ultimately, we are talking about a music album and not a book of poetry.

The closer “Night of Retribution” marks a great finale. Its opening guitar line is as effective as the one of the title track. The entire guitar performance conveys a merciless aura, because the production has been done very well for this album. I like these productions that walk the fine line between underground atmosphere and professional appearance. “Strength & Honour” (fortunately not “Blood & Honour”!) does not lack pressure and creates a permanent aura of ominous twilight. No doubt, this is, despite its lyrical trials and tribulations, a recommendable debut and its spiritual connection to the works of bands like Horna or Malum is definitely a good thing.

Rating: 8 out of 10