There was a time when UK black metal (like thrash in the ‘80s) was viewed as a poor relation to its European counterpart, but that all changed when bands like Wolvencrown, Fen and The Infernal Sea burst onto the scene. The latter in particular are putting a fresh spin on proceedings and their latest full-length, Negotim Crucis, finds this East Anglian quartet charting new heights.
Drawing direct influence from the first wave of Norwegian black metal opening salvo “Destruction Of Shum” is suitably cold and frostbitten. Wasting little time on pleasantries it arrives like a rockfall and powers forward like some strange Darkthrone/Wittr amalgamation. What sets The Infernal Sea apart from their peers is a refusal to be confined by genre constraints and “Destruction Of Shum” is laden with a heavy grove and veers into black n’ roll territory as it swings and delivers a serious punch with some cool flourishes on the riffs. A cataclysmic cloudburst heralds the arrival of “Befallen Order” as Dean Lettice’s vocals seemingly emanate from the very depths of hades while the whole song speeds along and recalls the Teutonic thrash of Kreator.
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Atmospheric and genuinely eerie “God Wills It” finds The Infernal Sea trading speed for power as the band create a sonic structure that stands monolithic and immovable and the songs sudden cessation only serves to make the silence that follows even more stark. Negotium Crucis is an album that ebbs and flows perfectly as “Field Of The Burn” is another slower track that’s permeated by tortured cries and finds the band moving into blackgaze territory, very much in the vein of Ghost Bath. James Burke’s powerhouse drumming is relentless, falling like black rain it juxtaposes the haunting motif that forms the song’s outro, and that’s just one of many tension of opposites that makes Negotium Crucis such a rewarding listen.
Opening like a cracked glacier “Devoid Of Fear” is another piece of musical brutalism as Jonathan Egmore’s guitar riffs roll from speaker to speaker like a division of Panzer tanks. Encasing the vocals within walls of sonic fury creates a feeling of claustrophobia that ensnares the listener within its musical maze. “Negotium Crucis” is totally worthy of being the title track and pulls all the strands together as it alternates between blackened thrash and traditional Norwegian first wave. Ululating like a longboat upon a stormy sea “Unholy Crusade” is a pounding, punishing affair that’ll sweep you up in its musical maelstrom and leave you dizzied in its slipstream.
Two epic tracks close the album, the first of which “Rex Mundi” begins with wonderfully discordant and hypnotic guitars before The Infernal Sea land a succession of sucker punches via a barrage of blast beats that are overlaid with a series of anguished cries. “Into The Unknown” brings the album to a fitting conclusion and, like a heavyweight boxer, it’s both punishing and fleet of foot as the band effortlessly mix up tempos and time changes and employ huge white spaces (only punctured by Chris Revett’s bass) that act as a foil to make the heavier ages even weightier. The unnerving refrain which serves as an outro means “Into The Unknown” ends on a rather ominous tone and ensures Negotium Crucis will haunt you long after the disc’s stopped spinning.
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Handling the difficult third album with apparent ease Negotium Crucis works because The Infernal Sea have experimented while remaining true to their black metal roots and should sate their legions of fans whilst attracting new irers.
Header image by Jay Russell Photography
Negotium Crucis is released via Apocalyptic Witchcraft on 18th September 2020
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