For as long as black metal is around, I cannot help but feel like there will always be a large swathe of bands that come to the style that will hearken back to the classic days of the style for one reason or another, and I, for one, do not think that’s an immediately bad thing since there will always be plenty of talented musicians that will be able to come together and do the sound justice. Simply, it’s a matter of being in the right place to find them with a good deal of luck certainly being a factor at some point. Most bands, though, will have a shred of doubt with their debut effort since there’s not much beforehand that can promise for a good time but it’s with the past experience that’s had between the duo of Vastatum that I don’t think there possibly ever could have been any doubt as to the high excellence that’s to be found with their debut.

Right away, just knowing the bands that the members have been in today (with Kafirun simply being one) is enough to catch the eye of someone like me, but that still isn’t enough to guarantee a good time right out of the gate, but it’s somehow within ten seconds of first hearing what “Mercurial States of Revelation” has in store that any and all reservations that I may have had about this release were instantly washed away. There is only one lamentation that I have for this release: it is but four tracks. That’s not nearly enough to get a fill of the utterly intoxicating black metal that’s at play here for every given moment of what Vastatum has crafted for their very impressive entrance onto the scene. Nothing was spared in the crafting of these 29 minutes that all accumulate fantastically to bring forth a cold, unyielding experience of impenetrable black metal that doesn’t hold back for the very freezing of the earth as it’s around every corner that Vastatum perfectly places some bewildering display of either hypnotic riffage or chill-inducing speed that are able to come together in a mere instant that can make for a potent listen apart but really allows “Mercurial States of Revelation” to become a virtual masterstroke of modern black metal when brought together.

It’s truly the exact kind of creation that many black metal fanatics are constantly on the lookout for where should you simply surrender yourself to all that’s offered within these four tracks then you will find yourself utterly enthralled by what Vastatum has created here as it’s single-handedly with this debut that we can’t argue that we have an extremely potent duo that is poised to do wondrously magnificent things. All that’s been brought forth to bring “Mercurial States of Revelation” is more than enough proof for further wonders for the secrets of the realm of black metal can be found within this debut, and I don’t think many of us will be able to hold back should Vastatum double down on their wildly potent craft in due time.

“Mercurial States of Revelation” releases on February 11th via Avantgarde Music!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Mercurial States of Revelation” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Vastatum on Facebook here.