Experimental Black Metal Passes The Test
Black Metal usually consists of drumming at the speed of light, a constant barrage of guitar shredding and vocals that can rival a pneumatic drill. So it's refreshing when a band like Satariel appear who aren't afraid to bend the rules a little.
I must admit, calling Satariel a black metal band is a bit presumptive. For example, the thrashing guitars on "The Freedom Falls", mixed with soaring orchestral violins points towards a Dimmu Borgir influence. The verses are belted out in traditional black metal style, but the chorus's vocals would probably fit in well to a much lighter band's work. Think Borgir's Shagrath meets Into Eternity's Chris Krall and you're getting towards where Satariel's vocals lie.
Each song does have it's black metal roots, but then something like "No God Loves" kicks in with some guitar work and doom like vocals, and you're left wondering what's going on. No kids are going to be trading Satariel bootlegs on tapes in Gothenburg, because the production here is crisp and clear. That's right, black metal with good production that ISN'T Cradle of Filth. Yeah, I was suprised too.
The less talk of Cradle the better - there's no black metal muppetry here - everything is cold, calculated and powerful. Even the mid tempo metal still hits harder than Danni Filth ever could, and when the guitars plough back in, you're hearing something special.
It might be fairer to consider Hydra a black/death metal mix, with doom and progressive elements. However, that takes a long time to say, so I'll just leave you with a couple of suggestions. Do you like In Flames? Get Hydra. Mayhem? Get Hydra. Into Eternity, Therion, Dimmu Borgir, Agathodaimon or Cradle of Filth? Get Hydra. If you don't really like any of them, pretend you do and get a copy of Hydra.