ALBUM REVIEW: The Once Forgotten Ways of Old – Serpent Lord
Although the year of the snake may have ended, the arrival of SERPENT LORD has been a long-time coming. Decades in fact. Initially formed back in 2003, the project helmed by Jake Superchi (know as the figurehead behind American black metal greats UADA) largely existed in the shadows of the black metal underground, kept alive by fragmented demos. Now, 23 years on and The Once Forgotten Ways of Old is here, the serpent ready to be unleashed. And it’s a wait that has been worth it.
Unlike his main output, SERPENT LORD finds itself occupying more Pagan-leaning territory, capturing the spirit of 90s pagan black metal. Those initial materials from the projects early days, now benefitting from a stellar production job between Superchi and Arthur Rizk, sees The Once Forgotten Ways of Old set down the gauntlet as a wholly evocative listening experience.
Opener Aries Ram is a thundering, triumphant way to announce SERPENT LORD. Those familiar with UADA will find a lot to love here, particularly in the the frenetic riffing and breakneck pace of the song’s opening several minutes. Superchi‘s vocals, dynamic as ever (more on that later), act as a central hook and keeps you grounded while the maelstrom swirls. The balance between ferocity and refrained melody is exquisite, a trademark trait found in Superchi‘s main outlet, and its delivery feels distinctly and fresh for this new endeavor. A fine start indeed.
Just as a serpent slowly uncoils, The Once Forgotten Ways of Old is measured in its near 40 minute delivery, with much of the album’s six tracks exceeding the eight minute mark. This breadth and room in the song’s structures allows the project to dynamically shift across its blackened soundscape, and its highs are exhilarating. The title track, the first to demonstrate Jake‘s shamanic chants, is a mid-tempo hair-raiser for much of its duration, allowing for its more refrained pace and heavy atmospherics to sink its claws in, before exploding into a soaring passage of play that is nothing short of epic. Elsewhere, A Pagan’s Spell twists and contorts from a frenzied beast to highly atmospheric soundscapes, where tribal instrumentation cuts through the noise to capture the mysticism that surrounds the project.
It’s not all elaborate and expansive epics though. When it needs to, SERPENT LORD bite with venomous intent. Take Constrictor, the shortest song on the record, but one that goes for the kill. Here, the focus is a bombardment of blastbeats, frenetic riffs, and howling vocals that captures the spirit of Norway’s infamous second wave. Enter Serpentagram, meanwhile, keeps the hook in its percussion, with enough rolling blasts to keep heads banging throughout its near-five minute sprint.
It may have been a long time coming, 23 years in fact, but The Once Forgotten Ways of Old is a killer debut offering from SERPENT LORD. Bolstered by decades of helming UADA up the ranks of modern black metal, Jake Superchi has delivered an immersive and highly impressive debut offering with The Once Forgotten Ways of Old. The year of the serpent may be over, but SERPENT LORD‘s year has just begun.
Rating: 8/10
The Once Forgotten Ways of Old is out now via Eisenwald Records.
