Permafog - Permafog
The backdrop to Permafog’s self-titled debut is a place of grim destruction, an underworld of lost souls – Hell for that matter. The Tasmanian Black Metal band began as a social excuse, a bunch of mates to hang out and play music. Eventually they had a catalogue of songs that deserved to be recorded and released, and those 9 tracks make up Permafog!
The album is 45 minutes of ice-cold Black Metal that is as bitter as a Tasmanian Winter. Mayhem’s debut De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas opens with the track ‘Funeral Fog,’ and is 6 minutes of chilling but crushing Black Metal, may god bless us all – the fog is here again! And while Permafog is not on the level of Mayhem (just yet), the quality of this debut release is not too far away – it is that good! Permafog is not as blistering as Mayhem, but the atmosphere is there, and the ice-cold riffs flow deep in these Tasmanians – much like they did on Mayhem’s 1994 masterpiece. There is also a heavy dose of Satyricon (The Shadowthrone) going on here, which is a very good thing.
The brooding atmosphere is present from the opening seconds of 'Bone Corruption,' with an unsettling distorted beginning that sets the scene nicely before all hell is unleashed at 1:20 with an incredibly catchy riff and subsequent vile vocals. It is very difficult to create the type of atmosphere and mood that Permafog have done here without a decent drenching of synths or samples. ‘Bone Corruption' is the perfect opening, the mood and the tone does not dissipate. The frozen gates have been stormed and the fog will not lift!
What is prevalent across the whole album is the use of vile and hellish backing vocals that epitomise Belial. They are often used in the choruses (if that is what you would call them). You can call them vocal extensions as they not only provide depth, but they extend the textures into the binary. Humility is a trait that many Australian extreme metal bands possess, and Permafog have that - there is not a second here of posing. I wouldn’t expect it any other way from a bunch of Tasmanians.
There is even a level of mysticism about the band as well - the album was self released with no lead in, the cover art is bleak and it drips with second wave class. Permafog has created the perfect modern Black Metal album without it sounding too polished or refined - it’s real and it’s hell. It’s cold and it’s Tasmanian.
The production is very good – everything is clear and audible, but the Mayhem atmosphere, with a touch of early Darkthrone is there in tone and sound. It is organic and real – there is always the feeling that there is something in the background, you can picture the band there in a room with fists clenched! Black smoke rising! And eternal ales clenching their thirst. Melody is present throughout the album, which is presented mainly via the guitars! The strongest example being the acoustic tones of Onyx Skies, but even that song title brings with it a darkness that drifts through everything on this album. The grimness runs deep! The cursed land on which Permafog exist does not want them there! It is incredibly consistent and engaging throughout, not one second is wasted and the energy does not waver.
Lyrically, Permafog do a marvellous job at not only conveying the opening to hell and the demon’s crippling birth, but the lyrics about Winter, the sky, wind, rain, the land and the mountains all paint a brilliant picture, and set the backdrop, and underworld of lost souls. The blend of memorable tremolo and meaty chug riffs is well executed, and the placement and timeliness of the vocals and variation in rhythm is an example of extreme metal songwriting perfection - it is clear that Permafog did not throw this together in a few weeks.
'Goat Headed Demon' brings with it a grungy Jerry Cantrell type riff at 2:50 coupled with a swinging tremolo, 'Ales Through Eternity' is a beastly vein rupturing track, while the closing track, 'Spitting Venom' does just that, it also sums up all that Permafog stands for on this debut! The catchiness and cadence of the vocals are next level as the instruments move towards a climax of desecration!
One of the best Black Metal albums to come out this year, or for the last few, KILLER!
Currently #3 on the Ten Glorious Killers Rolling Top 10 of 2024!!
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