Satanic North return to their Black Metal roots.
After a debut EP in 2022, Von Occult (vocals), Skomorokh (guitars), IIT Caprae (bass/vocals, Ensiferum, Warmen) and Abyssir (drums, Ensiferum) sign to Reaper Entertainment for the release of Satanic North, their debut album, which also includes their first four tracks.
The album opens with War, a composition that perfectly sums up Finnish Black Metal: icy aggressive screaming riffs are grafted onto unhealthy ranting. Blasts and vindictive patterns welcome a few dissonant harmonics to temporize before the final charge, which leads to Arise, a quite similar track to the previous one, which doesn’t hesitate to call on massive backing vocals to reinforce the raw power before setting in with heady melodies. The martial approach is never far away, but it’s with an anguished melancholy that the band presents us Village, a song that later strengthens to continue with these dark wild sounds before returning to bloody harmonics on Hatred and Blasphemy, where the musicians once again unleash themselves to create a scathing sound with hostile roots. The approach changes for Four Demons, revealing much softer yet cooler touches, creating a kind of heady complementarity with the vocal parts, then the band goes full speed ahead again with the majestic Behind the Inverted Cross, revealing impressive influences while staying in touch with that dark Old School edge. Vultures first hovers slowly above us before charging back in with its fiercest elements, then the sound softens again to meet Wolf and its more epic Pagan roots, including a different approach to melodies, particularly on the bass. Kohti kuolemaa draws us into its haunting march between darkness and nostalgia in Finnish, but the rhythmic pattern fires up for a while before returning to its hazy apathy before leaving us with the devastating Satanic North, which closes this debut album with a final fix of razor-sharp brutality.
Satanic North have Black Metal in their blood, and their obvious Finnish roots only serve to reinforce this feeling. Short but incisive, Satanic North is pure blasphemy that’s hard to get enough of.
85/100
Few questions to Petri “IIT Caprae” Lindroos about the release of Satanic North’s debut album.
Hello and first of all, thank you very much for your time! Could you please introduce yourself and the band Satanic North without using the usual musical labels?
Petri “IIT Caprae” Lindroos (bass/vocals): We are the four horsemen from the North, blasting our way into the blackened souls around the world.
What does the name Satanic North mean to you, and how is the link with the music you create?
IIT Caprae: It represents our music very well and gives an indication of what can be expected of our music, brutal yet melodic riffs with blast beats.
The band’s debut album, Satanic North, will come out in a few weeks. How do you feel about it? Do you already have any feedback?
IIT Caprae: We got it done very much how we wanted to, keeping the sound as raw as possible and so far we have heard very good feedback everywhere.
How would you sum Satanic North‘s identity up in only three words?
IIT Caprae: Hail Fuckin Satan!
How did the creation process happen for Satanic North? Did you notice some changes, compared to the first EP?
IIT Caprae: The whole album was written already during the pandemic, we picked a few songs for the EP first to work on and managed to publish those then.
What about the artwork, what were the guidelines you gave to Samuli Ponsimaa and how does it fit with the music you created?
IIT Caprae: Samuli is a fan of the 90’s music and artwork, just like us so we gave him the lyrics from Satanic North song and to give it a 90’s look. We think it’s perfect album artwork for our self titled album.
The band’s sound is obviously anchored in Finnish Black Metal’s roots, but what made you decide to pay tribute to this universe?
IIT Caprae: Every member in the band had the need to play Black Metal so here we are carrying our torch of blackened flame into the pyres of Finnish Black Metal.
All songs are of course very harsh and aggressive, but I noticed some definitely have more soaring parts, like Village, Four Demons or Kohti kuolemaa, and even a great melodic touch on The Wolf. How did you manage to find the balance between all elements to create those songs?
IIT Caprae: Everything worked out really easy for us when we wrote these songs at the rehearsal room, four guys playing and trying to always find the best option to move forward in the song to get the best end result.
Do you have a favorite song on this album? Or maybe the hardest one to achieve for the album?
IIT Caprae: The Wolf and Village are definitely my favourite songs.
Where do you find your inspiration to create music?
IIT Caprae: From within ourselves and of course from the music made before us gives a huge inspiration and the will to write the Black Metal that we want to play.
The band teams up with record label Reaper Entertainment, how is the collaboration with them?
IIT Caprae: It’s really great and easy to work with these guys at Reaper, they’ve been in the industry for a long while and they know how things work so no problems thus far.
Do you think you improved yourself as a musician and songwriter with this new record?
IIT Caprae: Of course, I learn something new every time I’m recording a new album. New songs with new ideas keeps it fresh.
You already played two shows with Satanic North back in 2023, how were those concerts? How did you create the band’s visual aspect?
IIT Caprae: Those were good shows all in all. Keeping the 90’s vibe on stage as well with corpse paint and blood, bullet belts and upside down crosses is the way.
Are there any musicians or artists you would like to collaborate with? Whether it is for one song, or maybe more.
IIT Caprae: Impaled Nazarene.
What do you know about the French Metal scene? Are there any bands you know and like?
IIT Caprae: Gojira comes to mind.
If you had to organize a concert for Satanic North‘s release show, which bands would you love to play with? I let you create a poster with Satanic North and three other bands!
IIT Caprae: Dissection, Cradle of Filth and Mayhem.
Last and funny question: which dish would you compare Satanic North‘s music with?
IIT Caprae: Goats intestine boiled in its own blood.
That was the last question for me, so thank you very much for your time and your music, last words are yours!
IIT Caprae: We hope your black souls will be filled with joyful hatred by our music. Hail Satan!