Rating:
Genre:
Rock
Release Date: 07/25/2006
When
Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam was released in the United States during the summer of 2006, Norway's infamous
Gorgoroth was experiencing considerable turmoil. Lead singer
Gaahl was serving time in a Norwegian prison for severely beating a man in 2002 and threatening to drink his blood; founder/guitarist
Infernus was looking at possible incarceration for, Norwegian prosecutors alleged, doing nothing to stop a rape that a friend allegedly committed in his presence; and longtime bassist
King Ov Hell had left the band. Of course, lineup changes are nothing new for the Occult-loving
Gorgoroth, which has been a revolving door over the years. But despite all the controversy and lineup changes, the band has had no problem providing excellent albums -- and
Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam is no exception. The lineup on this 2005/2006 recording includes
Infernus (the only remaining member of
Gorgoroth's original 1992 lineup),
Gaahl (who hadn't left for prison yet),
King Ov Hell and drummer
Frost (of
Satyricon and
1349 fame), and together, these Scandinavians provide a vicious, harsh, nasty dose of
death metal-influenced
black metal.
Gaahl's raspy vocals sound downright evil, and
Frost plays his blastbeats with tremendous conviction. Actually, everyone on the album plays (or, in
Gaahl's case, sings) with great conviction, which partly explains why this 31-minute disc is as unsettling as it is. There aren't that many albums in either
death metal or
black metal that can honestly be described as unsettling; in so many cases, extreme
metal has come across as tongue in cheek more than anything. But
Slayer is an example of a band that can be genuinely unsettling, and the same goes for
Gorgoroth -- whose
Ad Majorem Sathanas Gloriam is an engaging, consistently inspired addition to their catalog.
~Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
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