SUICIDE CIRCLE

True to the nature of French culture and art, the upper crust of their black metal has been bold and ambitious. MÜTIILATION is one of France's most notable bedrock black metal acts, impressive considering the likes of ANTAEUS, BLUT AUS NORD, DEATHSPELL OMEGA and VLAD TEPES. In the wake of MÜTIILATION's demise, dirge master Meyhna'ch launched SUICIDE CIRCLE, and his inclination toward vile, grizzly dark metal remains, albeit in a noticeably more musical and traditionally structured format. Under the SUICIDE CIRCLE moniker, he returns with the band's sophomore effort, a blazing, seven-song rager that's ever-so-eloquently titled "Bukkake of Souls".

Sub-genre tagging is inevitable in metal, but it's lazy and dismissive in connection with most quality bands. Depressive Suicidal Black Metal, commonly known by its acronym DSBM, is a pejorative for any band that's haphazardly pigeonholed as such including MÜTIILATION or Germany's incredible BETHLEHEM. The description makes sense loosely since that these bands, including SUICIDE CIRCLE, are profoundly downtrodden and negative in spirit and mindset, but these artists aren't in line with the stereotypically comical and commercial side of emo (and in fairness to that style, bands like BLOOD BROTHERS are arguably more hard hitting emotionally and sonically than most extreme metal bands). In any event, SUICIDE CIRCLE is incredibly miserable. "The Prince Of Darkness", the second to last track on "Bukkake of Souls", is the soundtrack to a final march into the abyss. It starts off with an ominous funeral dirge and builds toward a familiar but genuine black metal assault that's at once melodic and malevolent without being overbearing, along the lines of MAYHEM's quintessential "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas".

Any excerpt or slice of "Bukkake of Souls" should lead both seasoned aficionados and newcomers to the conclusion that SUICIDE CIRCLE is the real deal. The ravaging waves and masterfully layered textures that define late track "For Nothing" are almost meandering but ultimately purpose driven. A track like this combines the discomfort of sleep paralysis with naive teenage occult experimentation, where they don't realize that they're playing into the hands of a greater, not-so-friendly force. As melodramatic as that may sound, the authentic, psychotic pulse beating at the heart of the album is simply jaw-dropping. "Bukkake of Souls" will surely be an avenue for catharsis for some, and for the openminded who understand and appreciate the breadth of challenging art, this kind of madness is essential.