Album Review: Satyrus - Rites
Reviewed by Neil Bolton
Satyrus can now be added to the plethora of bands at the moment who are set on recording an intro to an album that is not music. In Satyrus’s case we have three minutes of pointless bollocks before any music begins. I need to add, the aforementinond plethora includes some of my all time favourite bands, so Satyrus are in good company, I wish they would all stop.
Right! on to the music when it eventually begins. The first track from this album is 'Black Satyrus' straight away fulfilling their description of "Occult Doom". Slow riffs with clean vocals give an atmosphere that you would hope for in this genre. This Italian four piece is lead by guitar player Frankie Pizzimenti, and singer Gianni Passafiume. These two were joined soon after by Freddy Fish on bass, and drummer Claudio Florio.
Track two 'Shovel' is an excellent example of how to write a fuzzy, stoner doom tune, Gianni’s voice suits this style of music very well. This band do like an intro. 'Swirls' has a good one though, an intro that musically builds creating a dark distorted aura that the main tune continues to follow. 'Stigmata' begins with distorted bass and an ominous guitar riff, pouring onto a Black Sabbath, Electric Wizard type riff that pounds though this tune.
The last song on the five track album 'Trailblazer' has the surprise of a vocal harmony resting on top of the metal riff, that slowly turning into canine howls. Bass kicks in shortly followed by the rest of the band. Slow crunchy metal once again forms into head nodding enjoyable doom metal. If the aforementioned bands plus Monolord are in your album collection and regularly see the light of the day, then this album will fit right in with them. Satyrus can hold their heads high among their peers with this doom occult release.
Satyrus release 'Rites' on April 3rd.
