This is the second album from this Portland, Oregon, duo and shows that they love black metal that has been heavily influenced by thrash and punk, and a drummer who has also been listening to grindcore. Mark (vocals, drums) and John (guitar, drums). Probably the biggest issue I have with the album, and one that impacts everything, is the overall sound and production. That the guys can play quickly is never in doubt, and they are blasting through the music, but the power is often lost due to the fragility of the production. It reminds me of the early days of the black metal movement when the quality was sometimes lost due to lack of access to good studios, but in this digital age that is not really an excuse. The drums don’t pack the punch, the guitars don’t crunch enough, and there are times when the bottom end has gone for a walk and has decided not to make its presence felt at all.
But, behind all these moans it is obvious that these guys know what they are doing, and if they could get in a studio with the right producer then they could make quite a name for themselves. This has also been released through Bandcamp if you want to hear it for yourselves, at https://satanarchist.bandcamp.com
