Mexico’s Satan’s Cross sounds like they could have been ripped right out of the 80s on their EP Celebration of the Fallen, though their production values bring a slightly more modern sheen to their occult black metal. Formed in 2014, this is their first release since a two-track single released that same year and with this new EP they offer listeners three new songs of mysterious sounding black and heavy metal. While they haven’t quite broken free of their influences just yet and channeled elements that make them stand out completely on their own, the fact that not enough bands are doing this first wave style and doing it well makes Celebration of the Fallen worthy of attention.
While the production values may offer a bit more clarity and polish, the songwriting pulls significantly from the first wave of black metal and the more occult variants of heavy metal. Satan’s Cross moves between fast riffing that creates whirlwind-like layers and slower passages where they utilize keyboards and create a mysterious atmosphere that feels like it’s inviting you to walk into a foggy crypt. Stylistically it brings bands like Death SS and Mortuary Drape to mind, with hints of the early Greek black metal scene and even Mystifier as there are similarities to how the riffing draws you in and feels like it’s casting a spell on you as you listen. This particular type of early black metal that still shows much of its heavy metal lineage can be hard to pull off as the riffs can blur together when executed by a lesser band, but these guys are able to switch up the tempo often enough and provide leads that perfectly balance eerier melodies and abrasive edges. Admittedly with the influences Satan’s Cross is drawing upon they don’t shake the formula up in a way that truly distinguishes them just yet, but they have the same type of appeal and deliver this material with such precision and fire that it’s still likely to draw in those who have an affinity for the genre.
The vocals stick to the raspier side for much of Celebration of the Fallen, with the pitch coming through between screaming and gruffer singing/chanting that hangs over the recording with a foreboding presence. On the third song the vocalist switches things up a bit with a cleaner pitch that channels a bit more of a heavy metal and death rock sound, but no matter where the performance heads in tone the words are easy to make out which is not often the case for black metal. There are a few moments where it almost sounds as though the vocals are pushing into ranges a bit farther out than they can reach and they come through as a little shaky, but the way that the pitches break actually adds to the appeal and I can appreciate that rough around the edges feeling.
Satan’s Cross strikes a fine balance between early black metal and 80s death rock/occult heavy metal, channeling influences that only a few modern bands have managed to recapture well. They pull it off with convincingly ominous atmosphere and riffs that have staying power, with the three-track EP leaving you wanting even more. There’s still room for this band to further distinguish themselves from their influences and stand on their own down the road, and a full length could definitely give them the room to do this. But for now they remain a promising act playing a type of black metal that we don’t see enough of, and that deserves attention. Celebration of the Fallen is available from Sun & Moon Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg
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