Description
TEMPLE OF THE BEAST is the work of one DarkWvlf, well known in the black metal scene as Blackthorn, founding vocalist/drummer of the long-running Thornspawn. But those expecting a blitzed assault of classic Norsecore will be in for a surprise with TEMPLE OF THE BEAST: oft-lumbering ritualism that slithers its way into hammering primitivism, recalling the earliest works of Samael, Mystifier, Demoncy, and Drawing Down the Moon-era Beherit but exuding its own strange, ethereal identity.
Preceded by a demo and a single, TEMPLE OF THE BEAST now arrive with a 30-minute-long mini-album, Geminian Arcana. Due to its generous length – five monolithic hymns are contained herein – the band’s full potential is displayed in diabolic, Dionysian splendor. Indeed, TEMPLE OF THE BEAST’s central themes are arcane magick and bacchanalian bloodletting, ancient lore and mysteries only found in the innermost catacombs. Sonically, DarkWvlf illustrates this with tones that are tar-thick yet somehow atmospheric, layering the patient pulse with ritual bells and cosmic synths; likewise, his vocal tones go far deeper than his characteristic screech in Thornspawn.
As such, TEMPLE OF THE BEAST in general and Geminian Arcana in particular are equally recommended to maniacs of the early Greek black metal scene as well as the aforementioned legends. Debauch under the full moon!