Satyricon - Now, Diabolical review
| Band: | Satyricon |
| Album: | Now, Diabolical |
| Style: | Black metal |
| Release date: | April 24, 2006 |
| Guest review by: | Himann |
01. Now, Diabolical
02. K.I.N.G
03. The Pentagram Burns
04. A New Enemy
05. The Rite Of Our Cross
06. That Darkness Shall Be Eternal
07. Delirium
08. To The Mountains
09. Storm (Of The Destroyer) [bonus]
Now, Diabolical is yet another album from a continuously evolving band. As far as most of Satyricon's early fans think, the band simply died after Nemesis Divinia. Despite this way of thinking, Satyricon have continued along the path they have chosen, and have gotten new fans who are more into their new brand of music. Both Satyr and Frost have said in interviews that Satyricon nowadays is a disciplined unit trying to make good songs. This discipline is achieved by them in this album, but for me personally it takes away that atmosphere and ancient sound that was typical of the band's early albums. Well this review is not going to be about how "kvlt" or otherwise Satyricon is. Instead it's going to be mainly about the album and the musicianship depicted in it.
The first thing I noticed about this album was its crystal clear production. If you feel that Black Metal needs better production, this album is just ideal for you. The mixing is actually brilliantly executed and even Satyr's vocals are clear enough to hear, which is a stark contrast to Dark Medieval Times.
In terms of the riffs, I found them quite original and creative at times and they seem to have few similarities with other bands of their genre. The tempo of individual tracks remains the same throughout but tends to vary with each other. The result is that we have a list of tracks which all move along in their own tempo. This somehow takes away the aura of the album and makes it easier on the ears. Quite a few of the songs are quite catchy and you may find yourself nodding in time with it every now and then. If you have never heard Black Metal before, this would probably be a good album to start with.
There are both good and bad things about this album and as far as I'm concerned, one of its highlights is "The Pentagram Burns". It's quite a typical name for a Black Metal song but I found it to be quite impressive. It's easily one of the best tracks on the album and is definitely the type of song that Satan would be proud to call his own.
Having said that though, it's just like the rest of the album, very precise and calculated. Precision and accuracy have never been what Black Metal has been about over the years. What this album really needs is a bit of dirt and a bit more passion. The drums are almost restrained and held back. Even the guitars seem to be too controlled and calculated. Frost's lack of destructive brilliance is painfully obvious compared to what we know he can produce.
Musically it's similar to Volcano but slightly heavier and the songs are just plain better. I understand that they want to appeal to a wider audience and with this album they probably will. This time they fully absorb and embrace their "sell-out" status and they achieve what they wanted to do with this album. If you thought their old albums were godlike and their newer material was too bad to be true, this album will not change your mind. On the other hand, if you like better production skills, control and catchy songs, this one's a keeper.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 4 |
| Songwriting: | 6 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written by Himann | 29.03.2007
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
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Comments: 38
Visited by: 192 users
| Katatronik Angel of Lust Posts: 1018  |
Maybe the rating is too low IMO, anyway this isn't their best album surely! The songs are pretty catchy but it's not my problem... The real problem is that they are not so good... My rating: 7
---- "The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown." Howard Phillips Lovecraft
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894  |
lol, what happenned to the other Now diabolical album review? At least this one is accurate, too marilyn mansonish for me and the music videos make me gag.
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| Himann Orm KrigGud Posts: 1859  |
Thanks for the comments. Yeah I didn't just want to review albums which I liked all the time so hence my review here. @Hellraizer, I didn't see any other Now, Diabolical review actually. And yeah the music video's have a bit left to be desired lol. @cradle of bodom, I thought about a 7 and actually gave it a seven at first but I really thing the rating was appropriate considering everything..
---- To be Draped by the Shadow of your Morbid Palace. Ohh, Hate Living...The only heat is warm blood So Pure... So Cold Transilvanian Hunger
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894 |
Written by Himann on 30.03.2007 at 23:38 I think the other review was deleted...there was some unpleasant comments as far as I remember
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| APOHAKC The Bard Posts: 3585  |
Nice written man, I completely agree with you about fucking everything on this one! Now, Diabolical, now!
---- They say that we are gone but I can't let you down The heathen faith will rise again we won't fail now I know we cannot die forever is our time Give my people back to me free from Christianity!!!!
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| Jason W. Razorbliss Staff Posts: 3523  |
Considering I felt this to be my black metal album of 2006, I obviously am at odds with this review. I still think it's silly when people call music like this "sell-out" music, because I can guarantee you none of my non-metal friends would stand to listen to this for a single minute. Personally, I find this music innovative, and performed very deliberately and with strength. A great drumming performance is not defined by constant aggressiveness IMO, but intelligence. I don't think any band "needs" to put more "dirt" into their music - they can do whatever they want - boundaries and requirements are mere limitations to artistic expression!
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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| Himann Orm KrigGud Posts: 1859 |
@dismaleuphony, you are of course entitled to ur openion 
---- To be Draped by the Shadow of your Morbid Palace. Ohh, Hate Living...The only heat is warm blood So Pure... So Cold Transilvanian Hunger
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| Linak I Own You Bitch Posts: 4173  |
All in all I just wonder why you rated it so low if, and excuse me if I'm mistaken, you seem to be speaking rather highly about the album.
---- Stick this up your fucking pee-aitch-dee.
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| Himann Orm KrigGud Posts: 1859 |
Written by Linak on 18.04.2007 at 07:47 I think the last two sentences in the review would answer your question. I belong to the group of people who are in sentence A rather than sentence B. Good production doesn't make a good album in my openion. Satyricon were way too held back and restricted in this album. The album comprised of tracks of the same tempo but varying with each other which resulted in the album lacking efficient continuity.. When I wrote this review I tried to list as many facts as I could about this album rather than just flame it.. If you like those facts about it, its to your taste.. I'll excuse you for ur mistake
---- To be Draped by the Shadow of your Morbid Palace. Ohh, Hate Living...The only heat is warm blood So Pure... So Cold Transilvanian Hunger
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| gojko88 Posts: 19  |
IMO, this is Satyricon's finest moment. Mother North will be Mother North, but this is the essence of black metal extracted. Just take away all the "grim", "frostbitten" and "kvlt" elements away and there you have it. Pure energy flowing all over, relying on nothing but aggressive, catchy riffs. I can't wait for next autumn and the new album.
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| VPeter Posts: 1450  |
this was such a letdown, Satyricon had never dissapionted me before I even enjoyed Vulcano. but this is just a crap album, it is basicly vulcano but stripped off all that made it good and made radio friendly. all the songs sound the same and the album is nowhere near agressive as claim to be. the catchyness is good in the beginning but the more you listen to it, the more awefull and monetone it gets and even worse the horrible songs will stick in your head the whole time. I am also shocked how any one could vote this for best black metal album of 2006! come on 2006 was a great year for black metal, so no excuse for picking this garbage.
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| Jason W. Razorbliss Staff Posts: 3523 |
Written by VPeter on 31.12.2007 at 01:22 I proudly stand by this CD as my choice for my favorite black metal album of 2006, as it showed genuine innovation into the black metal scene.
---- "After silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." - Aldous Huxley
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| Ascendant187 Posts: 204  |
I think if you take into consideration Satyricon's previous works there's very little doubt you're going to be disappointed by this release. Having said that, and keeping it in mind, I don't think this is a terrible album. As has been mentioned there's a cold precision evident throughout the album, almost to the point where it seems clinical. I don't find that to be a bad thing at all but I do agree that, if you were to listen to the album right the way through on a couple of ocassions without a break, you'd get a little annoyed. The monotony would be too much, I think. Seperate spins or just listening to a few tracks is definitely the way to go and to ultimately enjoy this album for what it is - which is, I guess, "black 'n roll" lol.
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| Uirapuru Liver Failure Posts: 2955  |
Pretty fair review. I kinda liked this album, but its really any big deal. ''Age of Nero'' was bad also, decadence approaching.
----  ---- member of the true crusade against old school heavy metal, early 80s thrash, NWOBHM, traditional doom, first and second wave black metal, old school death metal, US power metal, 70s prog rock and atmospheric doomsludgestoner. o/
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Hmm.... Is it just me, or is the reviewer a bit hypocritical? He keeps pointing out the good things about the album, says that he doesn't rate it by "kvltness", in fact, acording to the review, he seems to think very positevely of it. Yet, I see an average grade of 6.6. What the heck is that? Or perhaps he was trying to somehow use the number 666? Quite a mystery we have here.
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| Himann Orm KrigGud Posts: 1859 |
Written by Slayer666 on 15.06.2009 at 00:44 Not that mysterious. I reviewed it the way I listened to it. I did not say that my points were positive. I listed the points without bias so that the reader can determine for themselves whether they like the album or not. They may be positive to you, but not necessarily to me hence the lower rating. If you find the points positive, then this album is worthy of a listen for you.
---- To be Draped by the Shadow of your Morbid Palace. Ohh, Hate Living...The only heat is warm blood So Pure... So Cold Transilvanian Hunger
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| lord artan Posts: 297  |
Why rating 6.6 this is good album i love satyricon because best black metal after myhem and burzum satyricon forever
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466 |
Written by Himann on 15.06.2009 at 12:09 Haha, don't get me wrong, I think the album sucks some serious balls. K.I.N.G. and Pentagram Burns are catchy, but that's about all this album offers.
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| Motionless Posts: 17  |
This album was the demise of satyricon for me. I was a fun of Satyr's work up until this release. I still remember the shity taste it left in my mouth after the first listening. From Dark medieval times, Shadothrone's atmosphere, Nemesis Divina's greatnes, Rebel Extravaganza's musical rebellion and innovation, Volcano was ok(for satyricon standards) giving hope for the future, then to this Radio friendly cathy and illustrated it is som much inferior to their previous releases. The review is nicely written but soft on the album. On the other hand I was so dissapointed from this album that I cannot say a single good word about it. Age of Nero was also bad. Lets see what's coming next
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469  |
Written by Uirapuru on 13.06.2009 at 05:51 I think the decadence has started long ago. Imo, Satyricon's first three albums are masterpieces. However, this band took a downward spiral since "Rebel Extravaganza". To be honest, I think nothing they have done after "Nemesis Divina" is worth listening to.
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by Lord_Regnier on 08.10.2009 at 00:49 for me it's actually the other way around anything before Nemesis Divina is not worth listening to.
---- Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.) 05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996 
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| Lord_Regnier Posts: 1469 |
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 08.10.2009 at 08:12 Really? Personally, I can't stand the Rock'n'Roll feel Satyricon's recent songs have. I don't want to be unpleasant but I would summarize it like that: The first 3 albums are raw Black Metal classics. Black'n'Roll sucks and leads nowhere. When BM bands start to sound as if they want to imitate Hellhammer or Motorhead, I loose all interest in them because I never liked those shitty old bands. By the way, I have no intention to talk about what I call 'the modern Shittirycon' for pages.
---- "Why would we fear death, when life is so much more frightening?"
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| DoomGuard Posts: 368  |
I dont think i can agree with anyone here, in fact this album is my favorite from Satyricon, the riffs are simply unmatched from their previous stuff, best songs on the album are the top 4 and #8, those songs are seriously in my top 10 Satyricon songs no joke
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| SatyriconChick Posts: 248  |
I can't believe the average rating of this album is 6.6! This is great stuff, so I have to scratch my head with wonder. As I said in the 'Satyricon' thread, I love everything they've ever done. I think they've evolved and progressed with each album. I actually love that no two Satyricon albums sound alike. To me, it gets boring when a band puts out the same stuff year after year.
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