I don’t consider myself a black metal guru, but I know a great band that follows the dark genre when I hear one. Hailing from the depths of Chile, Occidens firmly stands as a violent black metal act that follows the reigns of Blasphemy, Angelcorpse, and others with precise speed, poisonous shrieks, and an unmatched goal of pure destruction. One can expect a raw attack of brutal metal with such a collection of fierce attributes, and that’s exactly what Occidens’ Glorification of the Antichrist offers. It is an all-too-common reality to witness a metal band changing styles within just a few minutes, but Occidens is a bit different. Instead of ruining their forest with useless weeds, Occidens plants the only crop they need: bone-sawing black metal played at mind-numbing speeds. Occidens’ prime attack is firing constant gallops of speedy riffing over a series of intense tremolo picks, with a cluster of insane solos launched in regular sessions. Additionally, Han Solo’s famous starship looks like a sluggish junker when the percussion buzzes by at inhuman speeds played at proper intervals. Expect an intense dosage of blastbeats, heavy cymbals, and some of the most insane fills you’ll ever hear; all of which is done at otherworldly paces.
Vocally, the use of high-pitched wails is applied to Occidens’ furious blackened assault almost flawlessly. Loud, aggressive tones of dark shrieking falls smoothly within the aerial bombardment of savage riffs and pounding percussion, but not without any occasional irritation factor. Some of the patterns are very predictable, and it can get a bit old hearing the same tone used again and again; however, this is really the only downside to a professional record. The lyrics are unquestionably stupid, but the crushing avalanche of hyper percussion and grinding riffs quickly rid the band’s mediocre poetry like a child standing against a moving tank.
Very seldom does a band like Occidens go for the throat in such a way, but let me tell you something: Glorification of the Antichrist is a driving rampage of furious cacophony and great instrumentation that grabs on and doesn’t let go. Occidens is not a band to take lightly; they aren’t some dopey black metal squad that strives for minimalism, but rather a group that focuses on intense brutality for the sake of kicking ass. This is a great CD that strides right for the jugular, and one you’ll certainly want if brutal metal has a place in your soul.