Year of release: 2020
Label: Agonia Records
Rating: 9,1 / 10
Where to start ... probably from the fact that INQUISITION continues to live despite the scandal, which in fact became a litmus test that separated those who understand the essence of Black Metal from the rest (there are also those who don't give a fuck about scandals, of course ). All that has happened has nothing to do with the high (I say this quite seriously) INQUISITION art, and this art, like any true Cult, is immortal.
INQUISITION is known for changing the sound on every album, although in essence they play the same thing. This time, Dagon decided to pay attention to the nostalgic characters who pray for the debut album so earnestly, as if it were noticeably superior in some way. “Black Mass for a Mass Grave” brings back the ceremonial atmosphere of “Into the Infernal Regions…”, again relying on leisurely songs, filled with unearthly wisdom and… serenity.
I think almost everyone reading this has already watched the outstanding video “Luciferian Rays”, where the influence of IMMORTAL and BATHORY is evident. As it turned out, this is perhaps the most aggressive song on the album. The rest of the material is even more imposing. The signature machine-gun rhythm of the Incubus is so rare that you start to miss it, and only at the end of the album he lets his partner to warm up a bit.
Despite the slowness, the album is not boring. Dagon's ability to compose great riffs has not disappeared. On the contrary, it even got even better, and the last 4 years have not been in vain for the guitarist. The basic melodic lines are enough to make the songs sound like complete works, but each has additional arrangements to provide an unforgettable experience. Somewhere it can be a mysterious semi-acoustics, and somewhere keyboards, imitating war horns. The part in “Triumphant Cosmic Death” is almost a harpsichord from classic rock, and it sounds appropriate, oddly enough. And the guitar solos! Loads of them!
For the first time in a long time, I caught myself stopping typing for the tenth time, because my head wants to listen to music. Usually I find it easy to focus on several things at once, but “Black Mass…” is really mesmerizing. One would like to not only listen to such an album in the background, but to savor it. The sound from the producer of “Ominous Doctrines of the Perpetual Mystical Macrocosm” (impeccable in every way, which can be off-putting at first) helps with this.
Thematically, Dagon has never gone so far into metaphysical distances. The lyrics to the album continue to develop the concept of studying the dark satanic power of the Cosmos, bringing the story to its logical conclusion: it describes the triumphant universal doom, the destruction of light and darkness. Ultimate Black Metal. The lyrics of the songs could have made the situation clearer, but I don't have the CD yet. The album cover was considered by some to be almost offensive, and I think one of its meanings really is "I'm shitting at you." But it fits perfectly with the message of the album, too.
All in all, the album turned out to be close to perfection. This is one of the best Black Metal records of the year. The only controversial point is the duration. The predecessor, considering the bonus cover, also passed the 60-minute mark, but there was more dynamics. Here we got 64 minutes, and most of them songs are slow. Someone may get bored with this.
English (UK) 
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