Serpent’s Oath – Revelation
Release Date: 20th January 2024
Label: ODIUM RECORDS
Bandcamp
Genre: Black Metal
FFO: Dark Funeral, Gorgoroth, Marduk, Sargeist.
Review By: Hillary Wisniewski
For many of us, winter has the world in its icy grip. As the darkness descends upon us, light becomes a much sought after commodity. The living things go into a deep slumber underneath the earth until it is time to burst forth, renewed and reborn. During this time of drawn out night, the world grows quiet and still. Vast swaths of trees are barren, and those that are able to withstand winter’s embrace hold steady against the chill gusts and battering snow. As the silence wraps around us, something old and foul creeps along, waiting to reveal itself. There is an uneasy feeling and strange things are afoot; the low rumble of an ancient horn bellows in the distance, piercing the cold stillness. From the depths of the dark forest, death comes lurking. Quick step, traveling with ease, and unfolding upon all.
This is the imagery that came to mind when listening to Serpent’s Oath; the work truly lends itself to creation of an atmosphere that is so fitting for these winter months. Formed in 2020, this Belgian act brings forth their 3rd album, Revelation. The overall themes of this album are drowning and suffocating in darkness and carried out with a dramatic flair. It is heavy as hell, but I found it to be full of nuance, which made for an overall dynamic listen. The elements we all love in black metal are present; however, there are moments of melodic power, well-crafted riffs and solos, and varied song structure which keeps things interesting. The pace in which these tracks pummel the listener can be likened to going into an epic battle. Charging forward, moving lightly while wielding a cutlass, making easy work of the opposition, slowing down, the adrenaline wanes, and one is left reeling and making sense of the aftermath. The production on Revelation suits the work well; it is polished, but not to the point in which it detracts from the record, sounding like pure evil.
To be honest, the only thing about Revelation that I didn’t care for was the use of several “filler” tracks. I am generally picky about how these types of breaks fill in space on an album, so this really comes down to a matter of personal preference. I do believe they are meant to create a sort of ambiance and I think these efforts will be appreciated by some folks. All in all, if you are looking for a solid black metal album, you can’t go wrong with this one.
Line-up:
Tes Re Oth – Vocals
Mørkald – Bass
Baelus – Guitar
Daenum – Guitar
Draghul – Drums
(4 / 5)
