Review by Dominik on December 2, 2025.

These first lines are dedicated to all those of us who grew up with younger brothers or sisters. We certainly all remember this little kid who shadowed your every move, copied everything we did, then tried to outdo you before finally starting to develop a personality of their own. If we're honest, of course, there were moments when we were secretly proud of them. (Even if we'd sooner eat gravel or our shoelaces than admit it to their faces.)

That whole dynamic came to my mind the moment I listened to Sarastus' newest release, "Agony Eternal". If Sargeist is the older sibling in the Finnish black metal household—experienced and chronically allergic to sunlight—then Sarastus is the enthusiastic but occasionally infuriating little brother. They clearly adore their big bro. They clearly want to impress big bro. The real big question is: which developmental stage are we witnessing here? The mimicry phase? The "look, I can do it better" teenage rebellion phase? Or the first shaky steps toward forming an independent identity and character? My honest summary is that there's definitely copying, but just as definitely the beginnings of something their own. Whether they will one day outshine their elder compatriots remains to be seen, but "Agony Eternal" feels like a determined stride in that direction. Sometimes better, sometimes not, but undeniably forward. Let me elaborate.

"Gravelust" opens an excellent album in a convincing manner. It is unmistakably Finnish in composition and execution. Icy melodies and a relentless drumming are supported by an unholy vocalist scorching the earth he treads. He occasionally varies his tone, sometimes successfully, sometimes like he remembered halfway through that humans only have one throat to work with, thinking that screaming differently still counts as texture. Short interspersed desperate shouts break up the impending monotony, whereas the musical backbone shines with just enough changing dynamics to avoid that trap as well, keeping things vibrant, vicious and very, very Nordic.

Two real standouts follow later on: "From Pride, To Shame, To Misery" and "Into The Lair", and they couldn't be more different. The former is about as far from their Sargeist-worshipping impulses as the genre's narrow borders allow. It's a slower track, carried by the album's most memorable riff, a melody balancing precariously between melancholy, reflection, and a slightly upbeat fatalism, exactly as the title suggests. But once the vocals enter, all remaining optimists have to recalibrate their expectations: despite the suggestion of sympathy, Sarastus are not here to offer anyone emotional comfort and any hope of compassion evaporates. The band is this "cold observer" and not St. Martin handing over his coat to the freezing beggar. "Into The Lair," by contrast, compensates for all that introspection by launching itself straight into the stratosphere and throws all mercy out the window. It's a full-blast assault from start to finish. Yes, the Sargeist comparison lingers, but this feels like Sarastus in their most natural state. The vocals are completely unhinged, and barely kept on track by the melodic guitars and a bass that tries to matter but mostly gets trampled. Even the mid-tempo breaks are delivered with such intensity they barely register as breaks. Indeed, a real scorcher.

The good news is that we don't find an outright stinker on this album. Yes, I agree, mid album the songs wobble a bit. "No Horizon" shows more restraint than necessary. Here the composer forgot that a black metal band from the North is allowed to cause psychic frostbite. The song ends up being less inspiring than what surrounds it. Meanwhile "Metamorphosis" presents itself with an introductory riff that has been, diplomatically put, "borrowed" from someone else. It is probably the most "run-off-the-mill" song on the album, and the frontman's attempt to elevate it through sheer force only highlights its limitations.

One last strength of "Agony Eternal" is the production. It is raw enough to satisfy black metal purists, yet clear enough that everything doesn't collapse into one big frozen blur. And while the album isn't aiming for progressive complexity, each listen reveals small nuances that make hitting the replay button feel justified rather than masochistic. So, to return to my initial question: has Sarastus overthrown their elder sibling's throne? Not yet. But they're close enough that the older brother may feel the warm breath of competition on the back of his neck and start locking his door at night.

Rating: 8.2 out of 10, because the album shows clear growth, undeniable talent and enough personality to start stepping out of the big brother's shadow. It has not yet reached a level to blot it out completely, but you can tell that day may come.

Review by Jeger on May 27, 2025.

Sarastus - the reigning Finnish underground's most promising triumvirate of the blackest art of BM - a tightly-knit brotherhood of artists whose impact has been starkly felt since their inception by those of us who are in the know. Their 2019 opus, Enter The Necropolis, saw the band poised to join the ranks of the Finnish elite: Sargeist, Satanic Warmaster, Horna and Behexen. This widely-revered recording would seemingly have paved the way, but following its release… Silence. A sacred absence wherein wayward projects would be birthed and a couple of lineup shifts would transpire. Purist Curmudgeons have argued that Sarastus' music is too catchy… Ever hear Sargeist's "Let The Devil In"? Probably the catchiest Black Metal record to have ever emerged from out of the coveted Finnish scene, and, in my opinion, the greatest Black Metal album to have EVER been released! It's just what the Finns do, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

There are a number of reasons as to why Finland produces the very best black metal: soul-churning melodicism, deeply-seated lyrically and brimming with pride has been the Finnish recording way, despite some of its more brutish projects that include Archgoat and Impaled Nazarene who conceived the scene under the mark of extremism. Sarastus is just one of many collective examples of gorgeous Finnish scene evolution, and on July 1, Sarastus will release their third LP, Agony Eternal, via Dominance of Darkness.

Agony Eternal is no poorly sketched cover art, lyrics in Finnish, shoddily recorded Suomi Black Metal album. Those are important, but some outfits just operate at a higher level, to a higher standard. What you'll discover here is BM of the global-class kind where engineering quality and class stand paramount; stuff you can effortlessly wrap your head around and allow to take you under, or send you adrift upon lofty riffs and finesse cadences. Discernible in comparison to many Black Metal volumes vocals create a profound and lasting impression. During the titular track, it's the rhythm section that tows in freight every second of runtime, as backdropped guitar parts hold everything together. Epic intros like the one in the following cut, "Towards Eternity", tantalize your instincts for the beauty to come: air-tight fluttering tremolos and swift blast-beats. Like a man possessed behind the mic is Galgenvot, as he alternates between hefty gutturals, hearty bellows and tortured screams.

The agony of existence - cutting through the minutes like a recurring intrusive thought; one of jerking the wheel into a street light post or of jamming a knife into your jugular. Misery offset by the beauty of the music. A more solidly composed version of Advent Sorrow's "Kali Yuga Crown" is "Agony Eternal". Practically adventurous, almost like an Immortal record; triumphantly uplifting during some parts, dreadfully depressive during others and it doesn't matter the tempo. The overall feeling here is depression and the aesthetic is the realization of the hidden beauty therein like the promise of better days to come; holding on despite the pain. "Metamorphosis" - a sonic silver lining when stood aside the preceding tracks. Ensnaring melodic sequences that grip you just before you're untangled and sent soaring into the majesty of the equally stunning "From Pride, To Shame, To Misery". A victor of a Black Metal album through and through.

Torches of the fading dreams of yesteryear to dimly light the darkness; casting an ominous glow upon the reality of our own sad condition: dreadful poetry etched into the chasm walls, a barren & pitch black atmosphere above and bitter effigies of a life-once-fruitful but now poisonous to guide us through. Poisoned by the venom of our own self-loathing as the minutes tick into hours and the hours into days in this, a most hopeless existence. Not one bad song… A specimen of true Finnish Black Metal and a testament to the dominant nature of the Suomi scene. Bravo!

Rating: 9 out of 10