ALBUM REVIEW: Reinventing Evil – Okkultist

Formed in 2016, Portugal’s OKKULTIST have already enjoyed a degree of underground success, releasing their debut EP – Eye Of The Beholder – the following year, and becoming the first signing of MOONSPELL vocalist Fernando Ribeiro‘s label Alma Mater Records in 2018. Less than a year after inking their record deal, the Portuguese outfit are set to release their debut full length album, Reinventing Evil. With eight brand new tracks and a cover of BATHORY‘s Satan My Master, will OKKULTIST become death metal’s newest underground heroes, or are they just another collective offering nothing new nor inspired to the genre?

If there’s any justice, it’ll be the former. Though it might be a stretch to suggest OKKULTIST are bringing something entirely new to the death metal table, their furious debut is an inspired blast of incredibly fun, crushing death metal. Front woman Beatriz Mariano has an excellent range in her voice, offering up emotive growls and screams in equal measure, changing her delivery to keep things interesting. Axe men Moisés Filho and Leander Sandmeier seamless stride from one brutal, ear-worm riff to the next for much of the run time, and their groove-heavy style make much of Reinventing Evil immediately memorable.

The opening track of an album is always vital. Intended or not, it serves as an opening statement for the album, and plays a huge role in establishing the atmosphere and vibe for the rest of the album. Reinventing Evil‘s title track opens OKKULTIST‘s debut, and immediately slaps the listener with punishing drum work and immediately catchy, old-school death metal worshipping riff work. Delivering a confident swagger and sense of immense fun from the outset, the pace for Reinventing Evil is set, and neither the high quality nor sheer enjoyment drop for the remainder of the album. Diving into grooves that would make DECAPITATED jealous, Back From The Dead delivers one of the catchiest – if a touch simplistic – choruses on the album. Just try and stop yourself from growling along with Mariano‘s repeating proclamation of “Back from the dead! We! Are! Back from the dead!” 

OKKULTIST keep the quality high with the following one-two of Sniff The Blood and Sign Of The Reaper. Injecting hints of blackened ferocity into their arsenal, Sniff The Blood is one of the most eviscerating moments on Reinventing Evil, bring the groove and pure-evil savagery in spades. The blackened flourishes really help Sniff The Blood stand out, and the blinding leads from Filho and Sandmeier show OKKULTIST‘s comfort with both crushing brutality and soaring, melodic shredding. Video single Sign Of The Reaper closes Side A of Reinventing Evil, and is a clear contender for the album’s strongest track. Bringing the evil, cult-like atmosphere to the forefront, we see OKKULTIST double-down on the musical vocabulary they’ve proven to be expert at utilising thus far. Viscous, brutal, and hook-filled, Sign Of The Reaper is an immediate favourite.

Side B continues in much the same vein, with little deviation from the tried and tested formula – but when the grooves are this crushing, the riffs this savage, and the execution this strong, it’s hard to argue that changing things up would be an improvement. Grave Digger is the real highlight of the second half of Reinventing Evil, perfectly mixing the key ingredients of the sound OKKULTIST have carved for themselves into the slice of sweet, death metal goodness. Alongside Grave Digger, the bonus cover of BATHORY‘s Satan My Master – included only on the CD versions – is a real stand out from the second half of the album, injecting a touch of a more blackened style to their sound, but largely remaining true to their death metal roots giving the proto-black metal classic a nice, new spin.

Though OKKULTIST still have a bit of work ahead of them in establishing their own identity, there is very little to bemoan with Reinventing Evil. Trimmed of all fat, their debut album is an all-killer, no-filler blast of throw-back fun, capturing the high-energy, sonic savagery for early death metal releases. Dancing from infectious, heavy grooves to vicious aggression with ease and complete with more hooks than a fishing retreat, OKKULTIST have delivered a debut album that offers a lot of promise for the future of their career.

Rating: 8/10

Reinventing Evil is out now via Alma Mater Records. 

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