Satyricon - Volcano

Regarding Satyricon's 2002 album Volcano, Satyr stated in a press release/biography that "the music is rock based but more extreme; it is black metal pushing the boundaries that began with bands like Venom and Bathory, reinventing ourselves based on a foundation of rock oriented Black Metal is our philosophy." Volcano won a total of four awards: the Norwegian Grammy for "Best Metal Album", an Alarm Award for Fuel For Hatred in the category for "Song of the Year", an Alarm Award for "Metal Album of the Year", and The Oslo Award for "Best Overall Album". .... great album \../

For someone who absolutely worshipped this album upon its release, I can understand why most of satyricon's fans from the 90's despised this album. There was an obvious shift in sound with 'Rebel Extravaganza', but the grandiose black metal soundscapes heard on the band's first few releases was still there, albeit not as much. With 'Volcano', it seems mainstream is what was on the band's mind, and mainstream it really does sound. Massive hooks ('Black Lava'), catchy choruses ('Fuel for Hatred'), and punk-fuelled attitude ('Angstridden'). However, the way i see it, this album is 50% generic/boring and 50% absolutely brilliant. The opening two songs and the last two songs are actually what made me keep this album forever, because 'With ravenous Hunger' and 'Angstridden' are so aggressive and powerful in their particular ways you can't argue that the band didn't put in some effort at least. Also, 'Mental Mercury' and 'Black Lava' sees the band experimenting with structure (albeit with a slightly repetitive formula for the latter), and even reaching on the borders of epic, as fully recognised with their first two albums. However, with songs 3 through 6, it seems the band ran out of creative juices, and they merely plod on at half the pace of the opening tracks. This is actually a good satyricon album in my opinion, but my favourite 21st century album by satyricon is still now,diabolical.

Written by [user id=35732] on 12.04.2012 at 01:09

Written by musicalkaratekid on 12.04.2012 at 00:43

'Black Lava'

I find it progressing all the time. Sometimes clearly, sometimes just the little things. The track is also a brilliant way to end an album.

I fully agree with you on that. I know satyricon have been progressing for the last decade or so,but what one may call their 'black metal attitude' is still intact.

Even how much I hate changes, I don't like this one but there are some songs what is good, sad band changed, there are good changes as sentenced turned away from dm, but this, well not my BM