Warthur Deathspell Omega's second concept album surrounding their philosophical contemplation of Satanic metaphysics is a real treat for those who don't mind (or positively enjoy) a little Satan in their metal and are interested in experimental black metal formats which stretch the boundaries of the genre. As well as including some intriguing quiet moments between its eruptions of black metal fury, the album is also significantly more varied than many avant-black metal albums when it comes to the actual rocking out - at points they create a chaotic wall of noise, but there's moments where almost traditional metal riffing will break out unexpectedly here and there. A complex and fascinating album.

Conor Fynes 'Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeturnum' - Deathspell Omega (10/10)

Every once in a while, I come across an album that really evokes a feeling. By that, I do not mean mere pleasant cheer or a complacent melancholy, but an album that really sticks with me, that is impossible to let go of, no matter how much I may want to thrust it out of my mind. Such is the way that Deathspell Omega's fourth album 'Fas - Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeturnum' has affected me. Over the course of the past few weeks, this mysterious French black metal band and their music here has haunted me beyond anything I have listened to in recent times. As malefic as they have ever been, Deathspell Omega finds their defining achievement with 'Fas', and without a doubt in my mind, it is an album that even the casual fan of dark or black metal must listen to.

On first listen, there's no denying that the sound is a lot to take in. 'Calculated madness' may be the best way to describe a great deal of the music here; viciously frenetic and schzoid guitar riffs race by under a fury of blastbeats as I've never heard before. To space the madness out are lighter sections, but Deathspell Omega manages to make these sections challenging as well. Even in the quietest ambient soundscapes 'Fas' has to offer, a listener can hear a wide array of different things going on. Be it dissonant pattering in the background or eerie choral arrangements, many of the details here are so well-hidden that some things here may not even reveal themselves until after dozens and dozens of listens. With that in mind, 'Fas' remains an album that keeps fresh even after many listens have passed.

Although the rampant dissonance here will likely come across as noise for many upon first listen, there is the sense here that everything is intentional and made to coalesce as one. There are plenty of atonal harmonies here, but it would be foolish to think that this was without a very clear purpose; to create an atmosphere. While black metal is generally known for both its eerie atmosphere and inherent rawness, Deathspell takes that sense of darkness and conveys it through razor sharp proficiency and tact. On top of the music are some incredibly well-written and evocative lyrics, spoken both in Latin and English. Much black metal comes off as cheesy in their attempt to sound evil, but the feeling I get when listening to this album feels almost as if I've taken a trip with Dante down to the utmost levels of the underworld.

Needless to say, this is one of the scariest, and oddly beautiful pieces of work that has ever been crafted in the metal genre. The album is highly complex and challenging, but should a listener pursue it deeply, the rewards will be ones which will stick for a lifetime.

kogaionon “A masterpiece of Avant-garde Black and one of the greatest releases in extreme music” – I think these are the words that best describe this absolutely astonishing creation.

The album is framed by the songs ‘Obombration’, grandiose pieces of ravishing beauty which give the album a circle-like representation of the Infinite. Unlike the rest of the album’s lyrics written in English, the two Obombrations have Latin and Greek words that are used to create the best intro and outro for this album:

“Hagios ho Theos, Sanctus Deus / Hagios Ischyros, Sanctus Fortis

Deus, judica me... / ut quid, Domine, recessisti longe?

Judica me... perinde ac cadaver”

“Deus, judica me / ... et factus est sudor eius sicut guttae sanguinis decurrentis in terram.

Domine, in pulverem mortis deduxisti me / perinde ac cadaver.”

(Translation)

“God, judge me / ...and his sweat was made as drops of blood running down to earth.

Lord, into the dust of death you guided me / just as a cadaver.”

Having in mind the style created on the preceding album "Si Monvmentvm Reqvires, Circvmspice", we venture ourselves into the depths of this abyssal creation to firstly find ‘The Shrine of Mad Laughter’ whose instrumentation is just pure technical madness unleashed before ‘Bread of Bitterness’ and ‘The Repellent Scars of Abandon and Election’, songs filled with brilliantly-created dissonance, crushing drumming and catchy guitar riffs and tremolos that continue towards ‘A Chore for the Lost’ with mind-numbing complexity. The atmosphere created during this 46mins trip is the result of flawless album construction, the brain-child of these unknown geniuses.

Jake Kobrin Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum (Latin for Divine law - Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire) is the second album amongst the conceptual trilogy by French black metallers Deathspell Omega. Though the albums within the trinity are linked by concept, they are all musically unique. The trilogy proclaims the relationships of God, Satan, and man. Fas' concept is focused around man. The album was released by the French underground black metal label Norma Evangelium Diaboli in Europe on July 16th, and in the US by Ajna Offensive (and distributed by Southern Lord) on the 17th. It was originally released both as a CD Digipak and on vinyl LP. The vinyl version also contains a poster of the cover and a 12 inch booklet. Despite it's large size, the booklet is identical to the Digipak version. One who enters the domain of this 45 minute LP will certainly be left drawn and exhausted by the end. This album is harsh, brutal, and inexplicably magical. Through the use of technical insanity and subtle atmospheric details, Deathspell Omega created an experience unlike one in existence before. Although the basis of this album is Black Metal, do not confuse it with raw black metal via Darkthrone or Mayhem and do not be misguided by the bands primitive early recordings either. They have long since progressed above the cheesy generic black metal of their early career. Since then they have utilized a much cleaner produced aesthetic and instead of pumping gnarly dissonance, they have acquired a method of utmost technicality. Through this blazing disarray of impossible-to-play drum lines and nimble guitars are groovy post-esque segments that allow the listener a bit of time to rest. A physical rest perhaps, though these segments certainly do not lighten the atmosphere. Imagine an Isis cover band that had died and is playing in an eternal prison within hell. And I'm not alluding that these parts were ripped off of Isis, they are certainly unique. The amount of details hidden within this album is incredible. I have listened to the album maybe 40 or 50 times now and upon each spin I unearth new layers that I was previously unaware of. For example, it was only the last time I listened to the album that I realized how prominent the use of piano is. Even in the heavy chaotic moments there is that far off layer of creepily out of tune piano that just adds to the atmosphere. Further more there are terrified screams, choral arrangements, and samples of classical music (played on cello I believe) within the mix. In my opinion it is the ability to dig and analyze and be surprised by music even after dozens of repeated listens that certifies an album as purely progressive. In conclusion, this is probably the most accomplished piece of Black Metal to be yet released. It is my second favorite album of all time and it is one that I believe I will enjoy for years to come. I highly recommend it for fans of tech/extreme or avant-garde prog (though perhaps post-metalers will enjoy it as well). If you do not listen to this album you are doing a disservice to the entire history of metal... - Jake Kobrin