Filii Nigrantium Infernalium have been around for quite some time now, since the late 1980s. In their early days, the band was called Bactherion until changing the name to what it is today. With a slew of demos and EPs under their (bullet) belts since then, Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator is only the secong actual album from these Portuguese black metallers. Yes, you read that correctly. Honestly, after discovering there was such a thing as Poruguese black metal and looking at this albums cover art, I did not have high hopes. However, I’ve come to the realization this is another one of those cases where the phrase "never judge a book by its cover" really comes into play. The music is really what matters here: Filii Nigrantium Infernalium are serious business and to be honest, this album will leave you feeling violated.

Now, this is not your typical run of the mill "I’m so scary and evil, lookit my spikes ‘n’ paint!" black metal. Filii Nigrantium Infernalium offers a great combination of black and thrash metal with a touch of doom, gloom and even humor: For example, the ending of "Calypso" features the Imperial March from Star Wars! The guitar work is absolutely the best thing about this album: standard black metal tremolo, fast as hell thrashy riffage, epic Black Sabbath-y passages and even some rock ‘n’ roll type solos appear every once in awhile that give this album an overall traditional metal sound. The bass work is nothing special but not too awful either. The production tends to drown it but can be heard better on some of the slower tracks, such as "Azur". The drumming: excellently executed without totally stealing the show. Last but not least, the vocals: they remind me a bit of Varg Vikernes and Bethlehem’s Classen, painful howling that sounds like a man being tortured in the most awful of ways. There are even female vocals in a few songs which add a nice gothic/ethereal feel to things without overdoing it. Not to be too nitpicky, but I think the vocals overall are too high in the mix and almost drown everything else out.

So what have we got here? That’s right, friends: one hell of a metal album! Fellatrix Discordia Pantokrator is nine tracks of pure black/thrash holocaust and perversion. There’s something for old and new school fans alike: Don’t be fulled by the 8th grade goth kid album artwork and backwards writing that appears all over the CD sleeve. If there is truly a flourishing underground metal scene in Portugal, Filii Nigrantium Infernalium are leaders of the pack and a true force to be reckoned with.

Written By: Baroness