It's with genuine anticipation that I finally delve into this review of Ars Veneficium's "The Lurking Shadow of Death." As a devoted follower of Immortalfrost Productions and the myriad of exceptional bands on its roster, Ars Veneficium has consistently held a spot in my personal top three, alongside formidable acts like Azaghal and Bloedmaan. This album, in particular, is a record I find myself revisiting at least once a fortnight.
Ars Veneficium, as a project, boasts what I consider an S*Tier lineup. Having been an absolutely massive fan of Bloedmaan, Ronarg's musical direction and elaborate playing on "The Lurking Shadow of Death" are nothing short of genius. The distinct and crisp drumming from Flo, whose work with Theotoxin I greatly admire, is an undeniable blessing. Tying it all together is Surtur's masterful and potent vocal delivery, which easily knits the entire soundscape together.
This album comprises seven tracks, and while I won't dissect every single one, I'll pinpoint some general highlights and explain why this release nails it for me. Thank you for taking the time to read this review—this one is special. Let's get into it!
Track 1.
The album opens with a stark reminder of Ars Veneficium's evolution, showcasing their polished craft and a powerful, refined sound. The immediate onset is marked by a super catchy melody played high on the guitar strings, underpinned by a relentless onslaught of blast beats, quick-fire drum fills, and precise hi-hat accenting. Surtur's vocals on this track are razor-sharp, perfectly complementing the harsh yet crisp black metal atmosphere—a style I am deeply keen on. The power chord progression that kicks in around the 3:10 mark is absolutely awesome; its driving energy, coupled with Flo's drumming, compels instant headbanging. A skin-tearing tremolo-picked melody on the high strings emerges at 3:50, cementing this track's status as the undeniable best choice for the album's opener. An amazing introduction indeed.
track 4.
Track 4 quite literally drop-kicks you into the mix with its introduction. There's no hesitation; everything crashes in at full force simultaneously. My immediate appreciation for this track stemmed from the punchy, deep-sounding chords that follow the brief, harsh melodic burst. This track unquestionably stands out as one of the album's strongest. The guitar and drum section that begins around the 3:48 mark is outstanding, particularly as Flo transitions from blast beats into a more "punky" gallop rhythm, punctuated by extra kicks that truly spice up the playing. This, combined with Ronarg's guitar work, is seriously impressive.
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A track from the album can be found on Blackmetal vol.7
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Track 5.
"Into the Void" was my personal favorite on the album. It’s introduction is fantastic, featuring a nice ambient section that slowly fades into a thick, prominent bassline. This track, in my opinion, boasts the coolest intro of the 7—it's incredibly dense, layered with fat chords and singularly picked notes that ring out beautifully. Surtur's vocal delivery when the track truly ignites, accompanied by the icy, tremolo-picked melody, is utterly insane. The voals "OOOOOGGGHHH - EEGGHHHHHHH" followed by a fierce scream thrusts you straight into the chaos that defines "Into the Void." I'd confidently say this track truly showcases Surtur's insane vocals. The unwavering pace maintained throughout this track is also a highlighte, keeping the intensity consistently high. At 3:13, an absolutely phenomenal riff emerges, adorned with lovely bends and other intricate techniques. The occasional shout-styled vocals scattered throughout this track also add a new dimension, providing a nice layer of dynamic difference.
Track 6.
This track holds a special place as I believe it showcases some of, if not the, best tremolo-picked lines on the entire album. They are executed remarkably well and deliver an in-your-face impact. There are also some incredibly quick hammer-ons and bends intertwined with the drum fills, adding significant depth. Flo's blast beats on this song are seriously impressive, but where he truly excels is in his approach to complex drum fills—starting them off conventionally before taking an untraditional route on the finish, injecting a real layer of unpredictability.
Overall Highlight
While "Into the Void" (Track 5) stands as my overall favorite track on the album, my absolute favorite musical section occurs on Track 7 at the 5:30 mark. The preceding mayhem subsides, and then the crushing "beating section" is introduced. The first time I heard it, and even now, it forces me to headbang and move along with its awesome, hard-hitting, simple 4/4 "boom-bap" styled beat. Ronarg's guitars on this part are heavily downtuned, and the bass is prominently featured, supplying a deeply needed, thick chunk. Flo's drumming further enhances this section, with a drum fill seemingly appearing every four bars or so, reinforcing my point about his insane utilization of drum fills.
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Lurking Shadow of Death" hits the spot on so many levels. As I mentioned earlier, Ars Veneficium easily maintains its position in my top three on the Immortalfrost Productions roster.
From start to finish, this album is an onslaught of super catchy tremolo-picked melodies, outstanding chord progressions, and various other guitar techniques, all expertly executed by Ronarg, the mastermind behind the black metal project Bloedmaan.
Flo's drumming on the album is, again, nothing short of masterful. As a massive fan of Theotoxin, I genuinely feel that Flo brought out the big guns for "The Lurking Shadow of Death," peppering the album with super precise blast beats, staggering drum fills, and unbelievable usage of cymbal accenting while maintaining relentless aggression. Surtur's vocal delivery throughout the album is phenomenal, delivered with such raw energy that it truly propels the entire atmosphere of the record.
I wholeheartedly give this album a monumental 9.5/10 and eagerly await new material from Ars Veneficium in the future.
-BlackenedSoundscape.
9-10: Exceptional
7-8: Good, Great
5-6: Average, Decent
3-4: Fair, Mediocre
1-2: Poor, Subpar
Grading system.
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