The time has come for Infernal Angels to make their next move.
Still signed to Immortal Frost Productions, the Italian band led by Xes (vocals, Byblis, Deathcvlt, Intus Mortem), Apsychos (guitar, Necandi Homines), Nekroshadow (guitar, Umbilicus Necis, ex-Devoted Madness), Asdraeth (bass, Umbilicus Necis), and Postmortem (drums, Putridity, Devoid of Thought, ex-Occultarum) releases its seventh album, As the First Blood Fell…, in 2026.
Blood Chalice of Lilith starts off very slowly, only to surprise us with its hellish and hypnotic dissonance; yet the initially ethereal sound becomes increasingly oppressive, almost distressing, even before the acceleration that truly marks the beginning of hostilities. The sound remains extremely heavy while retaining its occult energy, allowing for a few unexpected shifts in rhythm, before suddenly transitioning to Rex Mortis, the next track, which immediately proves far more aggressive, though the dissonance persists. The drums literally go wild while the other instruments focus on their shared ritual, delivering imposing screams or piercing harmonics before a new outburst as unhealthy as it is effective, leading into Apotheosis – Manifest ov Black Light, where the atmosphere calms down once again, anchoring itself in slowness. The guitars once again weave that distinctive sonic tension, eventually giving way to roars that occasionally allow the rhythm section to unleash its fury in turn, creating long instrumental passages with a chaotic structure, as well as moments where the incantations multiply, even taking on different forms with the contribution of Gionata “Omega” Potenti (Darvaza, Nubivagant, Chaos Invocation, Frostmoon Eclipse, Moloch…) before a much gentler final. The few seconds of silence keep us waiting before Apophis – Chaos and Death comes to life, returning to a mystical and intriguing Black Metal that never hesitates to get carried away to showcase its raw violence, but also to let us breathe once its duty is done. Tranquility shifts as Adorned in Fire begins, and for once the band grants us a genuine respite of over a minute before captivating us once more with its blazing riffs, followed by screams that surge from the void to accompany our journey toward As One with the Void, the final, very long composition that takes its time to establish its spellbinding darkness before introducing the screams – including those of their guest Tomas “Adramelech” Trombik (Inferno) – and regardless of the track’s pace, it remains as suffocating and unwholesome as possible right up to the very last second.
Saying Infernal Angels have mastered Black Metal would be an understatement, so unholy and sickening is their sound to the very core. As the First Blood Fell… is a real ritual into which we are not merely invited – we are dragged by force.
90/100
