_ _______ _ ...:... _ _______ _ ___ / .:::::::::::. \ ___ | / .. (:::::::::::::) .. \ | | . .:::::.`:::::::::::'.:::::. . | | .::.. `:::.::':::`::.:::' ..::. | _ _______ | .::' ::::':::::`:::: `::. | _______ _ \\ | | :: `' ::':`:: `' :: | | // \ | | `:. .::' . `::. .:' | | / . | | .::::::..::::' ... `::::..::::::. | | . | | `:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::' | | .... | | `:' `::::: :: :: :::::' `:' | | .... | ' | : `. ': :: :: :: :: :` .' : | ` | |.....: . .......: :: :: :: :: : ...... . : ....| . ...................: : :: :: :: :: : : ................. . _____________:_____________ _____________:_____________ _ ___\` __ /_\` _______/_\` __ _/_\` /___ _ // __ / (/ ___/ (/ _ (/ /_______/\ _ _ /_________ ___________ ______/\ _ ______________/\__/_ _ \\\\\_________\__/\_________\__/\_____/\_____/\____________/ /// - -\-\-----------\__/----------\__/-------\_____/---------------/-/- - - -------------------: : :. ..:: :: . :------------------ - : : :......: :: :` ': :: : .....: : : ___ _ | | : ` ' : | | _ ___ _\---------- : | -------- : B E R C : -------- | : ----------/_ /_\ . : . ..:.. ..:.. . : . /_\ /// . . : : . . \\\ /: :\ /:: Artist :: Inquisition ::\ :: Album :: Nefarious Dismal Orations :: :: Year :: 2025 :: :: __ _ _ __ :: -:--\\-----------------------------------------------------------------//--:- :: \ / :: :: . Genre :: Black Metal Source :: CD . :: :: Label :: Black Metal Store R.date :: 2025-03-15 :: _::__ Cat.nr. :: BMS124 S.date :: 2025-02-06 __::_ ::// \\:: ::/---------------------------------------------------------------------\:: :: :: /: Encoder :: LAME 3.100 -V0 :\ ..: Bitrate :: avg. 299kbps :.. . Quality :: 44.1 kHz/Joint Stereo . . Size :: 104.15MB . . . __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ tracklist /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: 1. Ancient Monumental War Hymn 5:44 :: :: 2. Nocturnal Gatherings and Wicked Rites 5:37 :: :: 3. Strike of the Morning Star 5:03 :: :: 4. Through the Infinite Sphere Our Majesty Shall Rise 5:38 :: :: 5. Infernal Evocation of Torment 2:57 :: :: 6. Where Darkness Is Lord and Death the Beginning 7:22 :: :: 7. Nefarious Dismal Orations 4:13 :: :: 8. Enter the Cult 3:43 :: :: 9. Before the Symbol of Satan We Bow and Praise 5:58 :: :: :: :: :: :: ------- :: .. >> 46:15 .. __ __ _ . : _ ____ _ _ ____ _ : . _ __ __ .\\\\------- : | ---\ /---------------------\ /--- | : -------////. +/ -\------- | | ----\ release notes /---- | | -------/- \+ /: . : : . :\ /:: ::\ :: :: :: The release of Inquisition's fourth full-length black metal :: :: album marks a return to, or perhaps journey to for the first :: :: time, an incredibly dark form of black metal. Those familiar :: :: with the earlier black metal work of this band will recall the :: :: sort of anthemic style, songs that come off more as songs of :: :: unholy victories than of death and depression. The band claims :: :: that this album is "metal 1000%", and they are telling the :: :: truth. :: :: :: :: Nefarious Dismal Orations is Inquisition's heaviest album yet. :: :: The production is a subtle change, with less bite in the treble :: :: range of the guitars, louder vocals which also appear more and :: :: more in the midrange rather than exclusively low-midrange/bass, :: :: and a denser but clearer mix of sounds. The drumming is typical :: :: Inquisition brilliance, with an overwhelming bass drum pulse :: :: and steady, methodical cymbal work. :: :: :: :: Easily the catchiest, and also one of the best songs on the :: :: album, Strike of the Morning Star, is the only remnant of the :: :: older, "happier" style of Inquisition. It is easily on par with :: :: similar songs from Invoking the Majestic Throne of Satan, such :: :: as Hail the King of All Heathens and Rituals of Human Sacrifice :: :: for Lord Baal. Strike of the Morning Star is the anomaly :: :: though. Not in quality, but in atmosphere. In general there are :: :: fewer lead parts and not as many slower, ballad-like bridges. :: :: The net result of this is a relentless, hypnotic experience. :: :: :: :: Deviating more often from the simple riffing structure that has :: :: worked so brilliantly in the past, Inquisition meddles in the :: :: more atonal region on this album. Another major change is, as I :: :: mentioned, more vocal ventures into the upper midrange. Despite :: :: the fact that Dagon's vocals have been consistently :: :: extraordinary on previous works, this experimentation achieves :: :: a positive result and vocals which are better able to match the :: :: darker mood of many of the songs. And of course, the higher :: :: presence of them in the mix can only be considered a good :: :: thing, especially considering that Dagon has impeccable :: :: restraint as far as using vocals sparsely at times to create :: :: the best possible effect. :: :: :: :: I have a few negative things to say about this album, though :: :: they are quite minor in the scheme of things. Less of a :: :: complaint about the album and more to do with simple nostalgia :: :: is the fact that I do miss the brilliant lead melodies which :: :: were more abundant on previous albums. Don't be fooled, this :: :: album works perfectly without them. In fact, it is safe to say :: :: that the increased aggressiveness and gloom of this album allow :: :: a slightly stripped down approach to the songwriting. :: :: Fortunately, Strike of the Morning Star gives just enough of :: :: that melody to satisfy. :: :: :: :: I find that the album tends to drag ever so slightly towards :: :: the back half. Individually, the songs are stellar. The title :: :: track is in true Inquisition title track form, and while the :: :: closer is not up to par with the legendary Imperial Hymn for :: :: Our Master Satan, it is a powerful conclusion to the album. The :: :: main source of the drag I believe is a slightly less diverse :: :: mix of styles. If you aren't focusing intently on the last few :: :: songs, they tend to blur together more easily than old :: :: Inquisition, because though independently very good, they are :: :: all roughly the same speed and style. :: :: :: :: In the end, I have very little negative to say about this :: :: album, and its greatness far outweighs its downfalls. To sum it :: :: up in comparison to other Inquisition, I say this. It is darker :: :: and heavier than any previous album, it is a definite :: :: improvement over Magnificent Glorification of Lucifer, a close :: :: rival to Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult with :: :: regards to its hypnotic capabilities and atmosphere, and :: :: arguably very near as good, overall, as Invoking the Majestic :: :: Throne of Satan... :: :: :: :: . _ _ . :: \: :. \\ ___________ . ___________ // .: :/ __\____ :: ____ ___\ _ / BERC : 2025 \ _ /___ ____ :: ____/__ \\\f3! :: \\\ __ _/_________i_________\ /___/ /// :: cRO/// \ :: :\-\___________\_ ___ / _ _/___________/-/: :: / :: | . . _ _ _/ __/ . \_ _ _ . . | :: : :::::::: | | \\\\\/ _______\____|\ \///// | | :::::::: : :: | | -\-\/____/-------------\____\/-/- | | :: :: | | \ :|: / | | :: : : | . ` ::: ' . | : : . . | : ::: : | . . | :::....:::....::: | : ::::::::::::::::: : . :::''``:::''``::: . : ::: : . ::: . .:. :