Reviews

Formicarius – Black Mass Ritual

June 13, 2017

Grand opening. “Black Mass Ritual” opens with a great, grand, and overwhelming mass… of sound. The name of the punch is “Lake Of The Dead”. Formicarius really knew how to build layers of sound in this first effort. “Lake Of The Dead” shows a great production with a chain of vocals that calls the attention. Formicarius are a band that made huge efforts to sound grandious. And they did it. Let me speak my mind. Formicarius are much more a symphonic band than a black metal one. Or else, “Black Mass Ritual” has much more elements of a symphonic album than a black metal one. No problem at all for me. “Black Mass Ritual” is just amazing. The problem I guess is with black metal hardcore fans. Well, but they don’t even like symphonic black metal. So that’s alright.

Although Formicarius’ great effort is to be dark, tenebrous and haunted, sometimes they fail badly. In the good way, of course. Due to the musicians capability, creativity, and the keyboards lead, Formicarius song’s construction seem more as a Heavy Metal band than a black metal one. Due to two main things: the guitar and the keyboards. Guitar lines aren’t as deeper as black metallers are used. They’re tuned above the standard. The same to the keyboards, which are used not to create a dark layer of sound, but to flourish them. Disturbing for me. In the good way. You need balls to dare to do things like that and Formicarius sure did.

Take “Where The Gods Go To Die”, for instance. Formicarius built a layer of guitar sounds and amazing drums beats that remind the good old Iron Maiden days. The vocals layers on “A Requiem For The BloodBorn” is very well done. Killer guitar riffing too.

“Black Mass Ritual” eight tracks will sure please the open-minded metallers. Enjoy with no responsability and play it louder than hell!

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