Band: Enthroned
Title: Pentagrammaton
Label: Regain Records
Distribution: Suburban - Bertus
Release date: 22/03/2010
Review: CD

Without any doubt, Enthroned are one of the most important Black Metal formations from Belgium, and one of the strongest ones too. Every single member is experienced within the extreme Metal scene – most of them started their ‘musical’ activities within the scene (more than) twenty years ago (think about bands as Slanesh and Morbid Death, some of the most influential Death Metal bands over twenty years ago). Their many releases were reviewed with nothing but positive details all over the world (not only in Belgium), and throughout the years the band was able to perform with guest musicians as Ashmedi (Absu, Melechesh), Pascal Moreaux (Helgrindr, Lost Amor, Ornaments Of Sin, etc) and Cronos (Venom), amongst many others.
Pentagrammaton is the newest studio recording, with duration of forty two minutes, and like any former release, this one is brutal as f*ck! The album consists of diabolical, aggressive yet intelligent compositions, filled with anger and hate, speeding up and slowing down, with just one goal: to hammer you down with surprise. Again they succeed! The blasphemous atmosphere goes along with the blasting sound, yet the band maintains to inject these devilish hymns with melodic excellence and intriguing technical skills. Besides, like all former recordings, this one breathes some kind of mystic and dark-philosophic excellence – it is evident this band does not ‘just perform some intense Metal’, on the contrary.
At the same time, Pentagrammaton might be one of the most straight-forward releases in years, yet again several compositions are interspersed with unique elements / parts, lifting the whole up to a morbid level of grandeur.
Highly recommended to fans of everything between, let’s say, Dark Funeral, (early) Morbid Angel, Blasphemy, Immortal, Blodsrit or same-minded Artists from the Underworlds…

86/100

Ivan Tibos.