ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ - Malocchio - The Seven Tongues of ΔΑΗΜΩΝ • GRIMM Gent

Greek black metal sorcerers ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ also formerly known as Acherontas enter a new phase or era in the band’s history that spanned for thirteen years. The Hellenic quartet of V.P. Sorcerer (vocals, guitars), Indra (guitars), and Saevus H. (guitars), and, Hierophant (bass) aspire to evoke the Sumerian themes of magic and occult via esoteric sonic conception. A release date for their ninth album “Malocchio – The Seven Tongues of ΔΑΗΜΩΝ” was set on March 14th, 2022 through Zazen Sounds. For years the band has been fascinated by the forbidden knowledge of the ancient Sumerian occultism thus the sonic alchemy was conjured in revamped alchemical sound bringing to it the passion for magic and mysticism. The ninth oeuvre opens vast gates in which the coven navigates the domains of matter, however, ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ reveals an intriguing formula in which they transmute alchemical elements.

On the newest endeavor, mastermind V.P. Sorcerer forged his path towards the occult, magic, and even kabbalah which eventually transformed ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ into a spiritual aural vessel. “Malocchio - The Seven Tongues of ΔΑΗΜΩΝ“ consists of seven hymns that manifest arrays of sonic refinement and complex elements of orthodox black metal. The opening track “Lucifer Breath of Fire” uncovers these idioms with furious up-tempo assault and frenzied percussion work. Alongside the menacing vocals, the catchy lead guitars cleave sharply through the blasting drums and the tremolo lines. The powerful eruption of the instrumentation results in the beautiful transition of the guitars offering mystical melodies. The songs are focused on potent guitar riffs that would become more aggressive and ominous. From the opening moments of “Leviathan The Fervent Scales in Reverence”, the composition accentuates the grand sonic architecture with the clean male chanting imbuing it with a dark magical quality. The Greek masters have achieved an unprecedented scale where the rhythm/lead guitars create plenty of emotions. Plunging the listener into the seven circles of the netherworld given its grand proportions, the led guitars offer instant hooks, the full grip on the tremolo sections shows the dexterity of the musicians. “Belial – The Enn of Beliya’al” begins with the sublime diva voice of the Latvian singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Darja Kazmiria whose eccentric singing set an operatic feel to this intricate track. The guitars bring some notable variation with some melody and tremolo-picked riffs adding textures to the atmosphere. ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ blends the innovative skills of the individuals and the occult inspiration, the guitars for instance feels like a sort of transmutation creating complex patterns.

The guest session drummer Dothur plays at frantic tempos where he injects a blistering speed with his commanding double bass and blast beats. “Satan Exaltation of Unbeing” is where the lead and rhythm guitars enhance the song with the refined touch of innovation and the atmospheric sections wail to the rhythm of the mystical Middle Eastern melodies. The songs are organic in the riffing and grand with the eerie melodies, the drumming emphasizes the wall of sound that adds a massive tone to the pounding drums. In contrast to the serpentine riffing, the ending section of this song includes a flawless guitar solo which is skillfully executed. The vocals on “Choronzon Webs of Alienation” maintain its ominous tone and the clean spoken words create a bewitching mood for possession. Though the lineup is reinforced by triple guitars, the music is cohesively intertwined yet they all come in great harmony with each other, especially the lead guitars which is the catchiest element. Each track would offer dark atmospheric passages leaving you in a maze of wonderful moments. There are some dissonant sections that are unnerving thereby brought into full effect. On “Hecate Queen of the Crossroads” the guitars create a dark and atmospheric landscape the beautiful insertion of the synth is subdued by the crushing force of the drums.

The drums take a dominant role in adding the dynamics, leaving the guitars to ornament the musical palette. Being my personal favorite song on the album, the Greek sorcerers offers impressive hooks on this track. Although some of the songs may have lacked the epic touch, “Malocchio - The Seven Tongues of ΔΑΗΜΩΝ” seamlessly blends amp full variety of styles from post-black metal to orthodox style. The final track “Drakon Apotheosis” showcases their ritualistic exercise in the realm of magic. The guitars create a dense wall of sound but the main element here reflects on the other-worldliness of the vocals, in addition, this is the only song of the album that sounds close to Acherontas.

Unlike their earlier work, the newest album isn’t as compelling as the band’s previous albums, nevertheless, this is a solid release that has its own identity and inspiration. My only remark is that the catchy moments maybe don’t last long enough. ΑΧΕΡΟΝΤΑΣ seem to introduce different methods on “Malocchio - The Seven Tongues of ΔΑΗΜΩΝ” which left me curious to what the band will bring next.