PARACLETUS

Completing the third installment of the Satanic metaphysical trilogy that shocked the world with black metal being taken to unthinkable technical complexities with themes that focused on the highly advanced Satanic theology inspired by the philosophies of George Bataille, Michel Leiris and Pierre Klossowski, the French black metal band DEATHSPELL OMEGA released PARACETUS which is the Latinized form of the Greek world παράκλητος (parákletos), meaning "comforter," and synonymous for the Holy Spirit. Released in 2010 after a couple of EPs and a split, PARACLETUS served as a recording that resolves the band's three act magnum opus that made 90s black metal look like schoolchildren.

As anonymous and mysterious as ever DOS ended the trilogy with a collection of ten tracks that are more tightly constructed and really does have a feel of conclusion as if PARACLETUS is the final act where the resolving battle and judgment allow the dark forces' reign comes to fruition. It wasn't until i finally heard this third episode of DEATHSPELL OMEGA's Satanic saga that it occurred to me that the trilogy really runs together, musically as well as thematically, as a single cohesive unit where each album resonates as an entire act of a much larger black opera for the lack of a better term. Following 2004's "Si monvmentvm reqvires, circvmspice" and 2007's "Fas - Ite, Maledicti, in Ignem Aeternum," the latter of which introduced bizarre new dynamics that included dramatic pauses and stylistic shifts, where the final track "Obombration" essentially served as a two minute symphonic intermission designed to be followed.

That's where PARACLETUS comes in as it eschews the subtle atmospheric swirls of "Fas - Ite" and instead jumps into the bombastic caustic and atonal jangle chord swarms of din of "Epiklesis." The album overall is a much heavier and rampaging one with less moments of downtime in the form of slower creeping, almost doom metal in its processional prowl. Like the band's previous album's DEATHSPELL OMEGA doesn't employ many new tactics on PARACLETUS as all had been established therefore this third installment of the trilogy comes off as less impacting as the shock value had been exhausted and the main focus is on the highly advanced compositions that tackle the complexities of progressive rock and 20th century classical music in black metal regalia.

Generally speaking the beginning and end of the album are heavier with rampaging stampedes of sound while the mid-section around "Phosphene" offer those cooling off periods with slower, less complex and more introspective ones often with choral chanting replacing the snarling raspy shrieks of Mikko Aspa's effective vocal approach. The atonal jangle guitars appear in abundance as the tale of the virtues of advanced Satanism employ the multitude of stylistic shifts that DEATHSPELL OMEGA has mastered with nary a misstep in execution. While less depend on symphonic accoutrements, there are moments as in "Epiklesis II" where a parallel sound effect accompanies the jangle guitars but tracks like "Malconfort" with faster tempos and caustic sonic assaults are more the norm on PARACLETUS.

While excellently performed as usual it surprises me that PARACLETUS remains the most popular DEATHSPELL OMEGA release in some circles which perhaps is the result in that it's a bit more accessible than its predecessors but is less effective for that otherworldly experience that the perfection of "Fas - Ite" delivered. For that reason PARACLETUS is my least favorite of the Satanic metaphysical trilogy of albums as it's a bit more predictable and doesn't really offer anything new to the DSO sound and rather relies on simply changing things around a bit. Despite the connective tissue that clearly links it with previous material, make no doubt about it that PARACLETUS is still worthy of concluding what many deem as black metal's most effective multi-album run. For those who prefer the most bombastic of the trilogy, this one probably wins but i personally prefer the greater spectrum of stylistic shifts that "Si Monvmtvm" and "Fas - Ite" offered.