I can have a gut-full of most musical genres.

Too much “doom” bores me. Too much “punk” makes me realise I should’ve kept up the guitar lessons and too much Glam makes me wanna pop out and buy a cucumber and a tub of Vaseline.

There are some styles I never get fed up with mind you and one of them is decent death metal. Now I’m not overly familiar with Frenchies Svart Crown but their intense, blackened take on death metal certainly hits the spot more than it misses on this their fourth album

Doomy opening track “Golden Sacrament” establishes a dreamy and foreboding atmosphere and would serve as a cracking opening number at the bands gigs with its martial militaristic stomp. “Carcosa” kicks off like a Hate Eternal track and is a total blast.

There’s a strong Behemoth vibe to “The Pact: To The Devil His Due” and at over seven minutes long it does, well, go on a bit. It’s a good number but come on, get in, get the job done and bugger off! Just my opinion really as I’m not a fan of long tracks in general.

There’s some ambient weirdness (or nonsense depending on your point of view) with “Tentacion” then were back with the solid, pounding death metal (and also what I give your mum most nights) with “Orgasmic Spiritual Ecstasy”.

This is a really strong record, well produced with multiple textures and many interesting arrangements. The only thing I’d say is that you may wanna play this through from beginning to end several times before you “get it”. While the atmosphere the band invoke is absorbing, it is only so if you give it your undivided attention. Party music it is not!

(8/10 Mark Eve)

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