Saturday 1 August 2015

Diabolus Arcanium - Path Of Ascension (CD Review)


01.Inno Arcanium
02.Kingdom Of Sin
03.Bloodlines
04.Ascension
05.Arrival
06.Of Fire And Ashes
07.Spiritual Entropy
08.Frozen Dreams
09.Christ Eradication
10.Herald Of Darkness
11.Kingdom Of Sin (Orchestral Version)


Hex (Guitar/Vocals)
Abraxas (Guitar)
Tormentor (Bass)
Archon (Keyboards/Orchestral Arrangements)
Vishesh (Drums)



Diabolus Arcanium is an Indian/French symphonic black metal band that was formed in 2011, Under the name Fortified Destruction. The band renamed to Diabolus Arcanium in late 2013.

The band combines elements of black metal (screeching vocals, keyboards/orchestra) with some neo-classical guitar influences. Lyrical themes vary, either about Satanism, death, war, lost love, Satanic or otherwise anti-religious themes (common in black metal), or combinations.




Seems to me the only thing missing from this "tribute" to Cradle Of Filth and Dimmu Borgir is the female vocals, this album ticks every box apart from that.

So we have symphonic keyboards, chorus samples, high speed drumming with added double pedal workouts, simple riffs and occasional solos, songs that have a basic and well tested format, add a dani meets shagrath male lead vocal and there you go.

This is typical symphonic black metal by numbers, its not bad, its not that good, its just the same stuff you hear time and again, pretty un original stuff.

Now the only advantage this has over countless other bands is the fact that they come from India and not europe, perhaps with that in mind the opportunity to throw in some clever and intresting traditional musical instrumentation would have lifted this album into a new and highly original direction.

Rating 5/10
For fans of: Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Satricon, Phyrexia

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