With the release of Ia Pazuzu (The Abyss Of The Shadows), the imminent new full-length from Swedish industrial black metal misanthropes, DIABOLICUM, now less than three weeks away, today Decibel brings forth the suffering with the bitter resonance of third movement, “Silent Spring.”
Now featuring the ill-omened vocal tidings of Shining’s Niklas Kvarforth, Ia Pazuzu (The Abyss Of The Shadows) breaks the band’s fourteen-year slumber with nine traumatic hymns of disease, distress and psychological torment; a torrent of plagues mirroring the world in which we dwell.
Already enjoying critical praise for their meticulous display of audio torment, The Metal Observer notes of the release, “DIABOLICUM specializes in heavily industrial-laced black metal that has a tangible sense of misanthropy dripping from every lyric and icy riff. It’s dark and belligerent as black metal should be and, like… Mysticum, they clearly know how to mesh metal and industrial in a way that preserves and highlights the best elements of both (sub)genres,” adding, “I couldn’t help but marvel at the almost arrogantly confident manner in which they kick down the door on barb-wired monsters like ‘Void Of Astaroth’ and ‘Genocide Bliss,’ while also not forgetting that the thrill is as much in the chase as it is in the kill by getting all pensive and dirge-y on us with ‘Silent Spring’ and ‘One Man’s War.'” Terrarelicta issues, “The music is pretty much my definition of a perfect black metal track, with its tremolo picking, fast paced guitars and ultra-fast blast beats… dark and atmospheric, it has a slight Shining vibe at some parts, mainly because of Kvarforth’s vocals.” While No Clean Singing elaborates of first single, “Salvation Through Vengeance,” “The song erupts like a black metal cyclone dropping without warning from storm clouds overhead. A vocal sample then provides a bridge to a more industrialized, keyboard-driven segment, which is then overtaken by that wild, transfixing guitar solo as the song ramps up again into a whirlwind of knives and blood. It’s a terrorizing adrenaline trigger that leaves us salivating for the rest of the album.”
Elaborates the band of “Silent Spring” in a collective statement, “The world has not gotten worse, just more disgusting.”
Choke on the introspective grimness of “Silent Spring,” currently streaming at Decibel at THIS LOCATION.
Initially spawned in 1994 by Sasrof and Thorne under the Imperial moniker, DIABOLICUM stands among the prime instigators of the industrial black metal scene. The collective’s first demo appeared under the title Mori Voluntaria. The tape was recorded in just two days at a mental hospital and included the session vocals of Blackblood (Tommy Dahlström now of Aeon). Following various personnel shifts, Imperial unleashed The Imperial Darkness demo with vocals and lead guitar handled by Thyrfing (Stefan Dhalberg) with third demo, De FÆrdÆmdas Legion, unveiled by Arte De Occulta shortly thereafter. By 1997, members of Imperial formed black metal collective, Helvete, together with Mysteriis and Kraath of Setherial. The project was put on hold when guitarist Sasrof took over bass responsibilities for Setherial.
Two years later, Imperial changed their name to DIABOLICUM. Nathzion (AKA Zeb Nilsson now of Aeon) joined the ranks as lead guitarist and DIABOLICUM’s debut, the annihilating The Grandeur Of Hell, dropped in 1999 via Napalm Records. By the summer of 2000, DIABOLICUM united with Code666. Wielding a flawless meld of Swedish black metal and industrial ambient noise, 2001’s resulting The Dark Blood Rising full-length is now considered a cult classic among the industrial black metal scene. In the years to follow, the band published a collection of early demos (The Killing Spree 1.5) and two split 7″ EP – one with Watain; the other with Angst – before penning their third diabolic opus with new vocalist Niklas Kvarforth (Shining) and lead guitarist Likstrand.
And now, the plague-ridden fruits of Ia Pazuzu (The Abyss Of The Shadows) are finally ready for official unveiling. Featuring guest appearances by Malfeitor Fabban (Aborym) and Vargher (Naglfar, Bewitched, Ancient Wisdom), and artwork by Maxime Taccardi, Ia Pazuzu (The Abyss Of The Shadows) is unapologetic, anguished and devouring. The world will never be the same.
DIABOLICUM’s Ia Pazuzu (The Abyss Of The Shadows) will be available via Italy’s Code666 in special digipack CD format as well as a limited edition, double gatefold LP and deluxe limited leather box on July 7th, 2015 via Code666.
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