A few months ago, when the demo track “All of the Devil’s Temple” was first unveiled (and if I'm not mistaken, this is a one-man project), it instantly reminded listeners of Beherit, and perhaps even the newer Sperm of Antichrist who also work within that same unholy aesthetic. The intriguing part was that nobody really knew anything about the band—its origin, members, or background. All we had was the name and the music itself. There was a cloud of mystery: Who are they? Where are they from?
That demo tape has finally surfaced in recent days, and we now know the project hails from Ohio—just like Sperm of Antichrist. Or does it? I’ll leave that question to you, because I’m not entirely sure whether it's the same individual behind both projects. But it's definitely possible.
Released by Hells Headbangers, this four-track demo conjures one of the most suffocating, gloomy atmospheres imaginable—each track is submerged in its own hellish steam. Except for the first song, the rest of the demo is completely dominated by slow, crawling tempos. It’s safe to say this project borrows heavily from the slower moments of Beherit. Similarly, Sperm of Antichrist gave off this same oppressive vibe in its debut demo, although maybe not quite as strongly as here.
Expect lo-fi guitar work, ritualistic riffs, whispered incantations in the N.H. (Nuclear Holocausto) style, and demonic vocals that shift between murmurs and deep growls. Interludes made up of blasphemous ambient noises and eerie droning sounds appear at the beginning and sometimes at the end of tracks, fully desecrating any semblance of sanctity.
Beherit, Demoncy, and Sperm of Antichrist are the most appropriate reference points for this project. If you're into abyssal, lo-fi black metal cloaked in mystery and sacrilegious intent, this demo delivers a truly infernal experience.