17th December 2024

Review: “Force Me Upon Death” by Ancient Torment

Musing on themes of Blasphemy, Lust, Esotericism, Misanthropy and Self-destruction in their previous formulation, a new line up of Ancient Torment with a new lyricist offers fresh intrigue into a group who have been a torchbearer for Black Metal in the coastal reaches of New England. Drummer Zealot and guitarist Tormentum, both key members of Witch King, remain steadfast in their belief in this project and are now joined by Stygal (Black Sorcery) on vocals, Apparition (Cruciamentum) on second guitar and Czarnobóg (ex-Black Sorcery) on bass. Seemingly now stabilised, this line up have fired their first shot in anger in “Force Me Upon Death” with drums recorded by Jared Mann (The Hammer Party, Sapling, Cross Threads) at Distorted Forest Studio. All other instruments recorded, mixed and mastered by Dan Lowndes (Svolder, Ascended Death, Rotten Tomb) at Resonance Sound Studio over the cursed Autumn of 2024…

It maybe consist of just two tracks but at the better part of sixteen minutes, this pairing are much more than just a fleeting insight into what the new line up of Ancient Torment have to offer. The title track “Force Me Upon Death” is a genre tour de force of Black Metal in the purest form, distinctive Scandinavian roots exposed with each shrill scream from Stygal. A dark and melancholic feeling is inescapable as the riffs expose the underbelly of the beast, a little vibrancy rising to the surface in the extended instrumental of the mid section. Powerful percussion and rumbling bass provide a storms warming and after a little slow down the quintet pick up the pace, roaring through to an almighty crescendo. Behexen or perhaps even Sargeist spring to mind when listening to this one play out, a testament to the quality of the musicianship in that Ancient Torment display here. Time spent trampling blood into the mud of the war zone while searching for new warriors to join the cause clearly worth every painstaking second. Believe it or not “Broken Lays the Mask Borne Against Them” isn’t the longest title in the bands discography, that accolade going to “A Solitary Grave Illuminated by the Light of the Morning Star“. Another walk through the graveyard to howl at the moon after midnight, this one has a little bit more of the second wave of Black Metal about it. It is of course still the audio equivalent of a bath in battery acid but with more freedom to it as an almost military march style drum pattern arises from the blue lagoon in the final third before some savage banshee like roars. A rich, melancholic finale in which we are drawn to the flames of the void feels like a fitting conclusion while boding well for the future [7.5/10]

Track Listing