ARTEP – Thy Will Be Done on Earth as is Done in Hell CD review

ARTEP – Thy Will Be Done on Earth as is Done in Hell CD
Bleak Art Records

Back in January 2009 I was singing the praises of this Canadian band’s Black War CDEP. Yeah it came out in late 2008 but they sent it to me in Jan. At that time my opinion of present day symphonic black metal was fairly low. There were alot of DIMMU BORGIR wannabes here in the states all playing a template driven generic version of the Norwegian’s commercial sound. Another part of the act was to include a woman in each band behind a keyboard array. Not that I’m against women in metal, quite the opposite I look forward to seeing more but not in the role of cheap eye candy as these bands were doing. I can just imagine the want ads those bands posted, “Wanted: Experienced Keyboardist for Seriously Satanic Black Metal Goth Rock Band Must Be Hot or Willing to Be Photoshop Hot”. ARTEP was not like that in fact even though there was a woman in the band. She, Artep (guitar, synthesizer and backing vocals) is the driving force behind them. Secondly their take on symphonic black metal is far from generic.

Well that was over a year ago and here we have their latest and debut full length. I’m glad to see my praise was not in vain. I’m also glad to see all three cuts from their CDEP are on here. Those cuts being “Antichrist”, “Black War” and “Eye of the Serpent/Oko Hada”. Another good thing is that they haven’t succumbed to the more commercially generic symphonic sound on their newer material. I think that’s the key which separates black metal artists from the other bunch of musicians out there who simply perform in stage outfits and Halloween makeup. Another thing I saw after I reviewed their EP were other people’s comment/reviews of the release and their over use of name dropping DIMMU BORGIR. Thankfully I’m not some Hot Topic employee moonlighting as a music critic, who whenever keyboards are used in black metal thinks DIMMU BORGIR as some sort of poster child for the genre. I didn’t say it all last time but I will now. If I was going to use a modern black metal band reference to compare ARTEP with I’d say they were closer to a lighter version of EMPEROR or a symphonic version of WATAIN than anyone else.

The songs on Thy Will Be Done on Earth as is Done in Hell are more in a sinister, darker vein which draws you in. The opening cut “Birth of the Antichrist” is a keyboard driven piece which lures you out from your comfort zone. At first you might be thinking oh yeah I’ve heard this before but then the song “Antichrist” commences and then you realize you are wrong. Plus someone takes a flaming torch to your hide and sets you ablaze. From there on the songs lead the listener through a blasphemous journey through realms of blackness. Songs like “Desolate Land” and “Armageddon” will shake you out of your comfort zone. No wall of sound or over produced polish; these are melodious guitar driven compositions interwoven with keys that sting like a branding iron at one point than float you on a river of blood. It’s not modern black metal in fact this harkens back the better days of the third wave.

www.bleakartrecords.com/