ALBUM REVIEW: Serpent Uncoiling – Sinistral King

Not much can be said by way of introduction for a band determined to cultivate and preserve a mystique. As it stands all we know about SINISTRAL KING is that the project features three members, who also play in UNLIGHT, VREDEHAMMER and TRIUMPH OF DEATH – Tom G. Warrior’s tribute to the late and great HELLHAMMER.  If we’re speculating, and we are speculating, we surmise that André Mathieu and Per Valla are involved, with drummer unknown (answers on a postcard, please.) These ‘faceless’ musicians have conspired since 2015 to fashion an occult fusion of black and death metal, and at last their debut release Serpent Uncoiling has been set upon the world via the illustrious Vendetta Records.

The constellation of occult imagery in SINISTRAL KING’s logo suggests an orthodox approach to their art: broadly ritualistic and evocative of left-hand path mysticism. This ceremonial atmosphere is easily gestured towards, but rarely achieved. To that end, Serpent Uncoiling deploys moments of ambience, sinister classical interludes, and choral chants, which also serve to break up the frenetic pace of the record. This technique is often used to create a sense of contrast on the cheap, but SINISTRAL KING have managed to do so tastefully; authentic acoustic textures are interwoven with the band’s core metallic sound to create balance and cohesion, avoiding the bombastic excess of latter-day DIMMU BORGIR. This would be remarkable for most debuts, but we should expect nothing less of these seasoned musicians.

Textural and instrumental variety means nothing without adequate production, and Serpent Uncoiling exemplifies an approach which effectively trades some atmospheric murk for clarity. Leads and fills leap out from the mid-range, which is otherwise saturated with rhythm and bellowing vocals. These are not the desperate cries of anguish, but the triumphant liturgy of the cosmic anti-hero; reminiscent of BEHEMOTH’s Nergal, in places. SINISTRAL KING have separated the album into five pieces, but Serpent Uncoiling could easily be considered as a whole. Whilst there are more than enough musical ideas to sustain intrigue across its forty-minute duration, there isn’t as much variegation between movements as we’d have liked. Creating memorable moments according to such a strict formula isn’t easy, and would demand some deviancy within their devilry.

SINISTRAL KING have succeeded in producing an album which lives up to its occult pretences. Within the constraints of a highly codified style they do what they do better than most, and Serpent Uncoiling is capable of impressing its listener, albeit without doing anything radically new. A commendable first effort which shows promise, but lacking a original angle through which it can differentiate itself.

Rating: 7/10

Serpent Uncoiling is out now via Vendetta Records. 

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