Pestilential Shadows - Devil's Hammer
One should not assume that with experience comes improved songwriting as there are plenty examples of bands regressing in that area, but in the case of Australian Black Metal veterans Pestilential Shadows, they are going from strength to strength. Revenant from 2021 is really THAT good! Most would write it was really THAT good however the album is still available to purchase, it has not gone anywhere. It can be consumed in the present tense. Revenant is the perfect balance of drenched riffs, atmosphere, ungodly vocal delivery and glimpses of melody. The rollercoaster of emotions that flow from opening track “Procession of Souls” is worth the price of admission alone, and the beast does not let up, it drags you into the cave with the corpses and you don’t come out the same.
Devil’s Hammer is its follow up, and with it comes an extra helping of Satan. Immediately the Devil grabs you by the throat with his hammer on the opening track and shakes you around with incredible pace. Compared to the lumbering and atmospheric “Procession of Souls” from Revenant, the title track is more particular, and the production is also more organic, which brings the listener closer, almost smelling the stench coming from Satan’s mouth. What is also noticeable is the variation in vocal style, here Balam sounds possessed rather than deceased.
“Bitter Cross” showcases the maturity and confidence that the band has built over the years; the track eases back into a catchy mid paced chord progression that builds until it opens up the throttle at the halfway point. The drumming of Basilysk deserves a special mention, again, the confidence and maturity to ease back on the blast beats and settle into a variation of grooves really does elevate the album to top tier status – it is a classy sounding Black Metal album, not polished at all, just a band showcasing their talent in different and confident ways.
The vile and frenetic opening of “Despot of Cathartic Vigor” is restless, twisting and turning through various Darkthrone moments but Pestilential Shadows do not rest on their laurels. They could have been accused of being repetitive on some of their earlier albums, but they can not be accused of that on Devil’s Hammer. The passion in Balam’s vocals when he unleashes the Gabriel lyric may be my favourite vocal moment on the album. Long gone are the days when you could play 2nd wave Black Metal and sound original and interesting. The only way a band like Pestilential Shadows can sound authentic is to remain true to who they are, and in the case of Devil’s Hammer, it is simple: write and record music they want to play, that they are inspired by, and if that veers into melodic origins outside of Black Metal then so be it – the last 2 minutes of “Despot of Cathartic Vigor” is an example of how great this band has become, the bass is lifted in the mix and the track is awash with emotion.
“Tears of the Scythe” opens in anticipatory fashion, easing the listener into a more traditional Black Metal splatter of poison. At 7:24 the track ebbs and flows, but there is a riff that comes in at 2:28 that eclipses anything Behemoth wrote on The Satanist. Pestilential Shadows do not lean on one part, section or riff for too long though. You could have forgiven them for leaning on that riff for a whole song, but they keep things interesting and engaging through songwriting evolution. “Scaphism” provides a nice soothing break before the stomp fest of “Jackal” rips in the skankiest of ways, almost leaning into a Drugoth vibe.
Devil’s Hammer is long (52 minutes), but it flies by due to the myriad number of ways that Pestiential Shadows keep you engaged, and that is very important. I have felt tired with 20-minute albums before, simply because a band is unable to progress past one singular focus or lens. Sometimes that is a trick that can only be learnt over time, and Pestilential Shadows have perfected it. “Armour Satanised” and “Goddess of Winter” provide a nice 1-2 punch in the back end of the album, but as aggressive as they are, there are moments of melody and atmosphere that bleed through at times that are very special. The longest track on the album at 8:49 is the closing track “Shards of Dusk”, and if you have come this far, then you are in for a treat – a monolithic track that opens with a creepy slower vibe and consistent throb, before a brief acoustic section that eventually explodes into the pit of hell. What an evil track. What an amazing band. What a Killer album. Enthralling throughout, and absolutely no weak moments. The production, songwriting and performances are extraordinary, and I am very proud that these dudes come from my homeland.