Into Pandemonium – Darkest Rise

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Just yesterday I saw a meme at FB, I guess, which ironically showed an allegedly evolution of Black Metal since the 1990s. For the record, it was the image of a strong, proud and powerful Black metal warrior from the 1990s followed by a 2000s kid dressed in black and a colorful fat today’s fan. I won’t discuss here if the view is accurate or not, though full of prejudice. In Black Metal’s defense, being offensive has always been one of the most important feature the subgenre. I’m perfectly aware that for most fans, the turns Black Metal gave through the years weren’t profitable. I strongly disagree. Black Metal has  gotten more strength to survive over the years with all the changes just because the change wasn’t in the core of it. Black metal hasn’t change in essence; it has changed to adapt to the new world that came upon us. That’s exactly what one feels while listening to a band like Into Pandemonium and their album “Darkest Rise,” which features a lot new features some Black metal fans disdain, but which, in fact, have made Black Metal even stronger. In my opinion, of course.

“Darkest Rise” follows a modern structure of having lots of Extreme Metal influences in its track listing. Songs go from the darkest and fastest Black Metal features to the gloomiest and shoegazed features from Darkned Doom. Sometimes all that happens in only one song. As I said before, all those outer influences, even though from Heavy Metal as Black Metal fans sustain, enriched the subgenre. Pay attention to the beginning of “Darkest Rise” and wonder if it couldn’t be in any 1980’s album. I guess it could. Its following “Fallen,” on the other hand, is a true outcome of 1990s Scandinavian Black metal scene, the one Black metal fans say is the truest as if there is such thing.

The pros and cons of “Darkest Rise” are the same; to be a Modern Black Metal specimen. And I hold to it fiercely. Black Metal now expresses all human anguishes, not only the rebellion against religion, which, in fact, still continues to be valid. Into Pandemonium express them well in here. To go explore elsewhere doesn’t mean to forget the roots, and Into Pandemonium show it in the desperate “Fathomless.” Black Metal forgot a little the Black to be more Metal, and it’s a win-win situation. I guess…

Into Pandemonium “Darkest Rise” will be released on January 24th.

Track Listing:

  1. Darkest Rise
  2. Becoming
  3. Violent Uprising
  4. Sound of Perfidy
  5. La Morte
  6. Fallen
  7. Fathomless

Watch “Becoming” official lyric video here: