Band: Blut Aus Nord
Title: 777 – Sect(s)
Label: Debemur Morti Productions
Distribution: Sure Shot Worx / Soulfood
Release date: April 18th 2011
Review: CD

I won’t write (again) about the history of one of my all-time favourite projects from Italy, Blut Aus Nord. I recently reviewed the re-release of The Mystical Beast Of Rebellion (posted on February 27th), which was extremely interesting if not because it came with a bonus-disc with three magisterial new dark-sonic creations; and you can still check out the review on Memoria Vetusta II: Dialogue With The Stars (Candlelight Records, posted on April 4th 2009) as well.

777 – Sect(s) is the first part in a trilogy – the second and third one will be released in, respectively, September and November this very same year.
[big smile on my face…]

I initially expected to hear material in the vein of the bonus-disc of The Mystical Beast Of Rebellion. Those three tracks were Dooooooooooooooom in its bleakest / blackest form. Ooh, I love(d) it! At the other hand, since Blut Aus Nord did never sound the same (or better: Blut Aus Nord do have a specific sound, yet the approach on the former recordings differed a lot), I could expect a new approach on their characterising creativity.
It’s the second possibility, again another source of inspiration, in 777 – Sect(s)’ case.
The six songs, all called Epitome (Epitome 01 –> Epitome 06), last for more than forty five minutes, and the production is the most industrialised one to date. That mechanical Industrial-injection comes with a psycho-grinding atmosphere (think the likes of Scorn or Godflesh!), weird and eerie, mesmerizing and asphyxiating. 777 – Sect(s) is more technical as well than before, with unusual breaks and hooks. The main tempo is scorching and devastating; so brutal, so merciless… More than once, however, the tempo slows down enormously, yet not of the Doom-kind which characterises the second part of The Mystical Beast … The morbidity and madness do not cover the most apocalyptic parts only; a pounding and haunting piece like Epitome 02, with hypnotic guitar lines and atmospheric keyboards, is enormously oppressive as well.
Vindsval’s distorted vocals emphasize the discomforting sonic creations with hateful grimness and sadistic pleasure – a throat from Hell, sulphuric, scorched, torturous and horrifying.

Lyrically, the concept deals with overrating (human) life. Existence is an illusion, our presence is of non-importance, we need to accept the true mort(re)ality. A dark-philosophical and misanthropic yet truthful and effective elaboration, completing 777 – Sect(s) with respect!

80/100

Ivan Tibos.