It’s time for Grigorien to release their first album.
Formed in 2006 in Denmark by Benedictus (guitar/bass, Ligfaerd, Witchcult) and Spedalsk (vocals, Witchcult), the band released three demos and a split with Ligfaerd before recruiting Geistaz (drums) in 2016. The trio announced the release of Magtens Evangelium in 2022, via Signal Rex.
The mysterious and short De 9 Chor begins this album, which quickly gets adorned with its darkness with Skammens Æt and its visceral screams. The massive and fast rhythmic feeds oppression with Old School roots before giving way to the ghostly choirs of Boedsgang og Blodig Hoste, the next track, which doesn’t take long before bringing the aggressive riffs back to life. The song’s unhealthy atmosphere continues with its dissonance, then Østens Hviide Slange takes us back to those unholy sounds with a very dark introduction, but also with this wave of raw rage with sharp leads. The more haunting final drives us to Høyeste Himle’s Et Taarn til, a composition which is quieter at the beginning, but which doesn’t take long to explode and vomit its rage to our faces, before letting us breathe with Tiggere i Gyldne Pialter and its mystical introduction. Once again, it will end up calling for the band’s abrasive and frantic riffs which will pick from energetic patterns before entrusting the reins of its darkness to Strafferens Psalmer and its devastating melodies, topped by terrifying screams. Af Kviksølv og Galdes Chor follows with the same recipe that allows us to breathe before flooding us under its unstoppable and impenetrable waves of unholy aggressiveness, just like on the oppressive De Blindes Hyrde and its heady harmonics which reveal warlike tones. Syndens Slegtsbog picks up where the previous track left off, choking us with its chilling riffs and various vocal parts, then the album ends with Den Kaossymmetriske Liturgie, the last track, which mesmerizes us before striking at full strength with tortured riffs.
Grigorien‘s recipe is simple: a stifled introduction, then devastating riffs which annihilate everything on their path. Although Magtens Evangelium is a bit short, it will please the fans of Old School and visceral Black Metal.
80/100