Satyricon
Deep Calleth upon Deep

And here we are dealing with a true legend of extreme metal, a band that helped found and consecrate a genre loved and hated, like all true and great forms of art, here we are with Satyricon! In Norway, their homeland, they enjoy a status that elevates them to a band known even by those completely unfamiliar with the genre, especially (but not only) after their dazzling performance with the Chorus of the Norwegian Opera & Ballet of Oslo in 2015, at the Opera House of the Norwegian capital, released in the elegant box with the title Live at the Opera.

Returning to the subject of this new writing of mine, I begin by confirming what I had already heard, this latest work by Satyr & co. is truly remarkable, call it Black’n Roll or whatever the heck you want, what remains is only and always the music and this time it is absolutely superb. I say "this time" because I confess I haven’t followed much the course of the aforementioned since their The Age of Nero, a work that didn’t particularly excite me... Still, it remains the fact that living anchored and projected in the first half of the '90s I do not believe is an attitude that benefits mind and spirit, hoping that each new release is another Dark Medieval Times or The Shadowthrone would be paradoxical and at the very least anachronistic, also because it is right to respect the fact that an artist no longer feels the need to express themselves through a particular genre, that feels tight to them or that, simply, they no longer feel as a total and overwhelming part of themselves. Satyricon on the other hand remain in some way faithful to certain atmospheres, Satyr's voice scratches and stabs as always, the impressive percussion by that absolute genius Frost, tear apart and shred anyone who decides to press play (listen to “Burial Rite”), compositionally, lyrically and with undisputed mastery, they are always the same, indeed! The stylistic maturity also makes itself felt and pieces like “To Your Brethren In The Dark” will not easily leave your devices or your minds... Even the initial “Midnight Serpent” will project you into what I'm trying to tell you, much better than written words is in fact the construction of a track like this, where Frost is amazing, everything is exactly where we would want it to be, including the interpretation of baritone Håkon Kornstad to embellish everything. In my humble opinion, the turning point of the remarkable (and unjustly misunderstood) Rebel Extravaganza, gave Satyricon new followers and new interpretative perspectives that continue excellently today even in this latest effort; Deep Calleth Upon Deep is an album to absorb slowly, although tracks like the ones I mentioned above, along with others like for example “The Ghost of Rome,” will know how to immediately get under the listener's skin without prejudices. Black Metal then, Black’n Roll, Prog metal, dark undertones, epic rides and low-fi sounds, all can be dared to say, as nothing more than listening will be able to tell you, then by all means, just as they are free to express themselves, the die-hard fans of the first holy trinity of albums (1994-1996) are free not to listen or to not be able to perceive that "spirit" they seek, everything is legitimate in art, from one side and the other of the barricade.

In conclusion, I note that the cover is none other than a famous drawing by their compatriot Edvard Munch (the one from the famous “Scream,” for the uninitiated), the work is called Todeskuss, the kiss of death here renders the idea well, the candid background lends itself to the contrast of the eternal encounter/clash between Eros & Thanatos, present in the human unconscious at least since the splendor of the ancient founding civilizations of thought and philosophical research. This time, among other things, the recurring theme of death merges with that of life, the kiss is vital nonetheless, just as white is a sign and symbol of rebirth and light, perhaps due to the illness detected in the soul and backbone of the group, the good Sigurd “Satyr” Wongraven, indeed Frost responded as follows regarding this delicate theme and regarding the repercussions on their work: “Without a doubt there is a strong personal component. Satyr is facing an illness, I believe he spoke about it with great transparency. It is something that leads you to confront existential questions, to reflect a lot and this weighs when you create art. It's curious, because I've been being asked a lot of questions over the past two weeks about how the record has reached such an intimate level. It's something that requires technique and experience, in reality, as well as a great ability to dig deep into one's own soul. In the end, that's what we've done on this album: we've slowed everything down and this has had repercussions on the form of the tracks, on their composition.” (fragment reported from the site Metalitalia.com).

So it is, therefore, giving my best wishes to Satyr, I can only agree with the above-mentioned words, and I leave you with theirs:

“With a fearless heart and no one's dream torn

just like the fire burns on the hillsides north

you will tear the skies and we will never die…”