That band’s debut album ‘…And Darkness Drowned the Land divine’ I still consider as an absolute classic for the doom genre. (for more adulation of this seminal record, please check my review here)

Serpents Oath does not play doom at all, however. Apart from an equally dismal outlook on life, this new band is sonically very much on the opposite spectrum. With razor-sharp riffs and a scorching rhythm section, they are uncompromisingly committed to the unrelentingly fast style of black metal in the vein of Watain, Dissection and Marduk. ‘Revelation’ is their third album after ‘Nihil’ and the sophomore ‘Ascension’. In a way, it forms the final panel of a triptych. Following the story of Lucifer, the first album told about the rebellion, followed by the fall from heaven and now seeing the Dark Lord firmly seated on his throne in a conquered Heaven, as is beautifully illustrated on the cover.

Production wise they decided to replace renowned producer Andy Classen who recorded their first two records with them, with our very own Yarne Heylen. Yarne is of course not only a driving force behind rising death metal stars Carnation playing bass there, but also a very fine producer in his own right. A good choice, I would say, as ‘Revelation’ has even more bite than their previous outings. Along with a new producer, they have also signed with Polish black metal Label Odium Records for the release of the new full-length.

The record opens the gates to hell with the ritualistic ‘Invocatio Genesis’. These invocations divide the album into three parts, which is something that James has done earlier with his other band, like on ‘Prophecy of Doom’ for instance. In between these intersections, the songs pass by like a blizzard, only occasionally letting up a little speed at the very end of the song. Vocally, anyone familiar with his works is familiar with his demonic growls and snarls. The change in genre and pace has only upped his delivery to truly demonic heights, or depths, maybe. Once more, the production here lifts his performance up a notch or two, adding in some extra fire and brimstone.

The first real break comes in the moody intro of ‘Path of the Serpent’. Incidentally, one of the longest tracks on offer here. Even here, it does not take them ore than a minute to fully unleash hell upon us again…

After the anguished howls on ‘Invocatio Recurrectio‘, we prepare for the final storm upon the pearly gates with ‘The Cult of Death’ and the wicked whirlwind that is ‘Unto Typhon’.

Tearing heaven asunder one final time, on closing track ‘Pandaemonium’, more of a mystical atmosphere seeps in through the celestial cracks as the serpents oversee their final victory over God and his angels.

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