Once you press play on this debut Avmakt album, you will immediately be taken to Norway, which must be seen as a positive for this band, which includes members from Aura Noir, Obliteration, and Condor.
The Satanic Inversion of…. keeps to a traditional path.
Dark, evil, and haunting tunes blast around, with the drumming taking a prominent position on this recording. Many of the tracks tear and beat the listener in an Early Darkthrone style, something not missed by Fenriz himself. Peaceville Records were quick to follow and Avmakt were promptly added to Peaceville’s black metal compilation Dark Side of the Sacred Star, which was released at the end of 2022.
The Name Avmakt means “powerlessness”, the sense of being overwhelmed and not able to have any influence, without choice, voice, or hope.
These six tracks manage to create this experience with blast beats and raw guitar work. The whole aura around these tunes is stripped down icy cold darkness. Sections do slow down to carry the riff for a time, but the atmosphere never really leaves the ruinous evil one which is created.
There is no technical showing off or musical wizardry on show here, just a good solid lump of metal, both dark and stripped down. The speed is mainly fast and ripping, while the vocals never stray into the clean realm, giving the whole album its old-school feel.
I am sure this was the goal once the writing of this album began, with the band and upcoming fans seeing this as a masterclass and triumph in this genre. All six tracks will appeal to any black metal fan who yearns for the traditional days of old, although the album does sound quite fresh in its delivery, a difficult task to achieve.
“Underground metal the way it should sound returns to Kolbon!” Fenriz (Darkthrone)
Review by Neil 'Thrashtash' Bolton
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