Artist: Satan's Host
Label: Moribund Records
Release: 2008
Very few metal bands switch their orientation from power metal to black / death metal. One of them is the American Satan’s Host, a side project founded in 1977 by Tyrant, the vocalist of Jag Panzer. The band kept at it until 1988, then fell apart and regrouped at the end of the ’90s. In 2007 they managed to sign with the well-known label Moribund Records, where they put out their latest album, Great American Scapegoat 666.
At first glance the album feels really kitschy and almost too stereotypical, since Satanic iconography is all over every little detail, from the cover art to the lyrics. But that bad impression fades soon after the cliché-ridden Intro, because before long you hear the crystal-clear sound of the guitars, drums and vocals, the fruit of killer production by Flatline Audio.
The music itself could be described as a hybrid of thrash, death and black metal influences, held together by a modern production that delivers the right dose of aggression and a full sound, while also launching a proper sonic assault on your ears.
The album also stands out for its solid songwriting, which is no surprise, since it packs in tons of different, dynamic parts pulled from various metal subgenres. That harmony is backed up by really strong technical execution that easily outclasses plenty of similar albums, and the proof is the song 7’th String, which is basically a nearly 50-second seven-string guitar solo!
Besides guitarist Patrick, the album gets a virtuoso boost from drummer Pete 3. Wicked, who truly shows off his mastery of the drums and his sense of rhythm. The album is full of varied styles and tempos and while fast tempos mostly dominate, they often turn into so-called blast beats that hit truly dizzying speeds. There are lots of rhythmic sections where only the drums and a guitar solo carry the song, which of course creates a nostalgic old-school feel that is sure to thrill a broad crowd of longhairs.
The vocals and technique of L.C.F. Eli Elixer also add to the album’s excellence, mostly coming across as a mix of psychopathic screams and mid-low growls, which often creates the feeling of multiple voices singing at once.
The new album is a real step forward and a jump to a new musical level, both technically and in production. It’s dynamic, harmonic and technically flawless, and what mars its image most are the truly unimaginative lyrics and all the iconography on the covers. The preoccupation with Catholicism once again shows up as an acknowledgment of God, expressed through worship of Satan, who pops up every couple of seconds in the lyrics. It’s a truly botched, opportunistic attempt at poking fun at the Roman Catholic Church, and it’s simply not worthy of the reputation of Moribund Records.
Line-up
Patrick Evil – guitar, bass
L.C.F Eli Elixir – vocals
Pete 3 Wicked – drums
Production
Flatline Audio
Track list
1.Invocation 666 (01:16)
2.Ave Lucifer (06:36)
3.Dragons – Darkness (05:07)
4.Azrael- Death Wing Angel (04:45)
5.Great American Scapegoat (06:28)
6.Hail Satan (05:29)
7.7 Strings (00:47)
8.Black Order (06:22)
9.Pyromancy, the Art of Fire (06:34)
10.Xeper 22 (06:05)
11.The Cursing -Vampyric Evil-Eye- (05:16)
12.Infernal Victory (01:58)
13.Throne of Baphomet (07:18)
Album length: 1:04:00
