STREAMING: Inferno “The Innermost Disillusion”

Formed in 1996, Czech black metal experimentalists Inferno are readying the release of 2017’s most important release, Gnosis Kardias (Of Transcension and Involution). Musical comparisons to Deathspell Omega and Merrimack have been made in the past, but ever since 2013’s excellent Omniabsence Filled by His Greatness, the Czech’s have opted for a path untrodden, a voyage their own. No longer is the quintet bound by the tether of others. They’ve truly transcended by sub-divine intervention.

To wit, listen to opening star-destroyer “The Innermost Disillusion” (streaming below). As the song propels it transforms, layer by later. The drums–Marcello Szumowski is a bit of a unknown wonder–, the trip-laden guitars of Ska-Gul and Morion, and the chant-inspired vocals of frontman Adramelech spell-bind as seconds turn into minutes. That it becomes almost pretty mid-way through is yet another transformation. Savage beast into forlorn beauty. Then, the coda comes in. It’s hard to imagine in recent memory a piece of music as captivating as the last 3 minutes of “The Innermost Disillusion”.

Just as Root’s The Book expanded the world’s awareness to the boundless possibilities of Czech genius, so too will Inferno’s Gnosis Kardias (Of Transcension and Involution) remind that the country is still home to black metal’s most important and ingenious minds. All hail Inferno!

** Inferno’s new album, Gnosis Kardias (Of Transcension and Involution), is out April 4th on W.T.C. Productions. Pre-orders are yet to be posted, but for God’s sake, check W.T.C.’s webshop (HERE) every week or so to see if it’s available. There will be no more important release in 2017.