Reviews

Sanguinary Trance – Wine, Song and Sacrifice

April 10, 2019

Demons are a relevant part of many religious traditions. They all have many facets that are sometimes hidden from even the most well-studied connoisseur of the black arts. If one pays close attention, debauchery is the most proper things that demons do. In ancient religions, the holy and the profane; humanly and godly were very near, so near that sometimes it may confuse the laymen. That goes also to Black Metal and all its imagery and iconography. There are hidden features of demonic music that have been revealed only recently. This particular one we’re talking here is the mocking facet of demons and its peers on Black Metal music. But make no mistake, what we understand for demons is very far from the origins of the greek word that it derives from: daimon, which is originally referred to a lesser deity or guiding spirit. Classic catholic traditions put them into the category of helpers of the fallen angels – I guess you know who we’re talking about. One of their most know characteristics is to mock and debauch sacred things and beings.

Black Metal as well is a debauch of earthly music and even of themselves. The first time I got in touch with new feature of Black Metal was while reviewing Black Orchestra “Anthem To The Night” and I noticed some childish and puerile features that made me wonder where it was going. Now it is Sanguinary Trance with “Wine, Song and Sacrifice” which mix with a strong Black Metal with some puerile features. That put, it’s not exact it, but some notions of vaudeville and circus which we naturally think of children. Sanguinary Trance go farther with this idea of vaudeville bringing up an insane, maniac, and weird kind of music which uses lots of mesmerizing notes and chords and riffing. “Wine, Song and Sacrifice” is an album where the maniac and hypnotizing notes are present all around it and that’s what makes it more insane even for the insane Black metal standards. It is very known, and discussed, the psychiatric term coulrophobia which means the evil clown that we all know. I guess it explains well what one may feel while listening “Wine, Song and Sacrifice.” A very interesting fact of “Wine, Song and Sacrifice” is that each song ends with a loud and clear noise effect. Maybe “Wine, Song and Sacrifice” is the product of a rough night with many nightmares or maybe it’s the product of the nightmare that we all live in. The obsessive vocal features herein is also the product of a twisted imagination which shows all the regret and fear involved in our lives. As I always say, Black Metal is today’s most expressive expression – hehehehehehe – of life.

In terms of music, Sanguinary Trance really know how to use dissonances in order to create the so-called musical chaos. The epic and grad tittle track has lots of moments when you reallt wonder if the musicians know what they are doing due to the dissonances that appear to be out of tune, but that’s exactly the intention. Only a twisted and sick mind could ever imagine an album like this. So, our congratulations to the master mind!

Sanguinary Trance “Wine, Song and Sacrifice” was released in 2018.

Track Listing: