Satan – Earth Infernal
Satan – Earth Infernal
Metal Blade Records
Release Date: 01/04/2022
Running Time: 48:00
Review by Rory Bentley
8.5/10
If there’s one thing that makes my eyes roll back into my skull like The Undertaker, it’s disingenuous claims that certain older Heavy Metal bands have never sounded better. I know art is all subjective, but there comes a point where a reviewer is either toeing a publication’s line so as not to upset a big band, or they have lost all critical faculty and shouldn’t be reviewing art. The most obvious example being the maddening hyperbole surrounding every post-reformation Iron Maiden release and live show. “Senjutsu” had some great moments on it but if I have to make my own version of the album on Apple Music, because half of its 90-minute runtime is gash, then they clearly have sounded better.
This brings me to another band that was kicking around the NWOBHM scene when Steve Harris and the boys started out, Newcastle rockers Satan. The reason I bring up Maiden for comparison is that unlike the globe conquering Londoners, there’s a strong case for Satan sounding better than they ever have, and “Earth Infernal” adds further weight to this claim. Traditional Heavy Metal is undergoing something of a revival these days, whether it’s Visigoth’s blue collar stripped back approach or the likes of Spirit Adrift and Khemmis adding a pummelling Doom tone to the classic style. This surge of more denim and leather-minded bands has provided the perfect backdrop for Satan to finally get their flowers, as more fans are opening their minds to the more melodic pre-Thrash era of Metal’s history.
The first thing that struck me about “Earth Infernal” was the beautiful, warm analogue production. There are no click tracks, overdubs are minimal and the drums sound like they’re being played in your living room. A lot of bands from this scene go out of their way to create a Lo-Fi production job, believing they are adding an authenticity to a genre that is programmed and polished within an inch of its life, but few are able to pull it off with such clarity and precision. This approach suits Satan down to the ground, bringing continuity between their old and new work without feeling like they’re just taking a retro approach because it’s trendy on Bandcamp. In fact this whole aesthetic would fall flat were it not for the lively, excellent performances captured here, with the band electing to leave the odd bum-note in here and there if the overall take has the right feel. When ‘Poison Elegy’ builds towards its finale, for example, there is a refreshing looseness as the band takes a few seconds to lock into the optimum temp to take the song home.
Of course, great musicianship and sound engineering can only take a band so far and Satan’s real trump card comes in the form of some immaculate songcraft. These 10 tracks display a confidence and elegance that comes with experience, seamlessly weaving between sections and knowing just the right amount of time to ride a riff or groove. ‘Burning Portrait’ perhaps best exemplifies this, as it builds tension with ascending riffs, tasteful leads and a spidery arpeggio that gradually gathers steam before thundering along at a pace that belies the band’s years. In between all this is a powerful melodic chorus that provides the perfect foil to the chaos of the verses. You don’t just rock up to your first band practice and peel out something this thrilling and fully realised.
Throughout the record the band are acutely aware of where their strengths lie, those strengths being tasteful lead lines, catchy mid-paced riffs and strong melodic vocals that never tip too far into theatricality. They accomplish this with very little distortion but a whole lot of attitude with songs like ‘Twelve Infernal Lords’ being played with more vim and vigour than most Thrash bands. The band even accomplish a compelling instrumental track in ‘Mercury’s Shadow’ where a graceful acoustic intro gives way to a huge swaggering 70’s Judas Priest riff, before leading to some classic duelling leads. I would love to see the band utilise more acoustic passages elsewhere as I really appreciated the macabre vibe they bring here.
As the ambitious closer “Earth We Bequeath” puts a bow on things by bringing in surreal jazzy keys to go along with triumphant riffs and some piercing falsetto vocals, I couldn’t help but tip my hat to Satan. There are bands that are going out of their way to sound like this that just come off as pastiche compared to the passion and craftsmanship on show here. In so many other walks of life people get better at what they do the longer they do it, but Heavy Metal bands often seem to have a sell by date after the twenty year mark. How refreshing, then that here we have a band that bucks that trend and have seemingly reached their final form in their later years. Hail Satan! Sorry I couldn’t resist.
‘Burning Portrait’ Official Video
TRACKLISTING:
01. Ascendancy
02. Burning Portrait
03. Twelve Infernal Lords
04. Mercury’s Shadow
05. A Sorrow Unspent
06. Luciferic
07. From Second Sight
08. Poison Elegy
09. The Blood Ran Deep
10. Earth We Bequeath
LINE-UP:
Brian Ross – Vocals
Russ Tippins – Guitars
Steve Ramsey – Guitars
Graeme English – Bass
Sean Taylor – Drums
LINKS:
