Album Review: Sardonic Witchery – Hell’s Thorns Attack

Album Review: Sardonic Witchery – Hell’s Thorns Attack

Reviewed by Matthew Williams

There’s a wonderful sentence at the bottom of the attached PR sheet that came with this promo, which simply states “Old fashioned satanic metal forged in fire, steel and devotion to darkness”. If that doesn’t whet your appetite then nothing will, as King Demogorgon, the Lusitanian bastard, has risen once more from the hidden depths of the Texas underground, via Portugal, to unleash merry hell upon the world.

With G Lucis Ruina by his side, they have emerged with a collection of songs that make up Sardonic Witchery’s fifth album, and it all kicks off with a deliciously eerie opening on “Crown of Burning Spikes”. The snare is getting one hell of a pounding, as it does throughout the entire album, and with the chorus sounding like a war cry, each word pierces your soul deeper than the one before. The crushing noise is unrelenting and with a solo leading “Hateful Evil Thorne” they unleash a killer riff around the minute mark that signals their demonic intent. It’s dark, aggressive and savage, but more importantly, it’s damn good.

Across the songs, they are paying their respects to the history of black metal whilst simultaneously moving the band towards new levels of bedlam, chaos and profanity. “Unholy Conqueror” has a huge commanding presence, like a cloaked figure constantly watching over your shoulder, before they confront you head on with the terrifying “Sabbath of Sadistic Desire”. I didn’t think they could up the depravity further, but this propels it up several notches, with scintillating riffs and rhythms exploding all over the composition.

Their exploration of all things wicked and immoral moves onto “Ego Sum Rex Ignis Aeturnus” followed by “Cult of a Thousand Horns” which is just rapid and will leave your ears stinging. The screaming vocals, intense rhythms and raucous riffs are wonderfully weaved together to produce a song full of venomous intent. The onslaught shows no signs of slowing, with next track “Raped by Horrendous Night” demonstrating that they aren’t just playing fast for playing fast sake, they are doing it with intent. And that intent is to rip your face off!!!

The fierce and frenzied beating of your senses comes to an end with “Dark Moon Slaughter” as the solo leads into more frothing at the mouth vocals, and a few well placed “eeuurrgghhsss”. This one does however seem more controlled, and purposeful in its approach, with the middle section riff getting me instantly headbanging as the repeated chorus line dramatically raises the caustic nature of the song. Enter at your peril with this one.

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