Satanic Warmaster - Exultation of Cruelty (album review)

[@T.Mothibi]

This album came in like the planes on 9/11 - no warning, no anticipation, just a straight up BANGER.🤘🤘

[@ShayShechter]

A very good album. Love the gothic font on the cover, the atmosphere of the photo(corpse paint, black and white...)

[@erikavaccari]

Impossibile to be disappointed with SW. Unquestioned legend of Finnish black metal. Cheers Jerry!🥂

[@RYDAHN666]

Definitely did not expect a return to the raw sound but a welcome surprise for sure, album is great

[@FathomlessDepths76]

According to MA, the session drummer played on a number of Judas Iscariot albums.

[@yellowgoat5602]

It seems Werwolf was really into Judas Iscariot before writing the album 🔥

[@yellowgoat5602]

And Cryptic Winter recorded drums for the bonus disk 🔥

[@SKvldlf]

I'm gonna have to sit through this whole album. I listened to probably half of it and wasn't too impressed. New stuff doesn't hit me as hard as old stuff.

[@S87yt]

The announcement of a new album in the old raw style had me hoping for more S&H or Opferblut. It doesn't reach that level for me. My first listen was a bit underwhelming. Then I saw the comparisons to Judas Iscariot so I went back with that in mind and I enjoyed it a bit more, it's definitely more in that style. Funny that he even had Cryptic Winter on the raw version. I'll have to listen to that version when I can. I'm still glad he did another album like this, the style of the other newer albums wasn't for me. I have only listened twice so far, I will spend more time with it. It's good, I just had the wrong expectations.

[@DesolateSolitude]

Can’t wait for your Mork Gryning review!

[@RautaMetal]

Unfortunately I don't think it is coming

[@DesolateSolitude]

Why not? They didn’t send you a promo copy?

[@RautaMetal]

Yes.

[@Dljr13]

This and aamongandr are his best vocals with swm, absolutely killer! Love both albums

[@Jezza-m5k]

Excellent review. The new album is a full on firestorm🔥🔥🔥🔥Hail, Werwolf🤘

[@annukka2582]

This album was a nice surprise. I got it on Wednesday and I've been listening to it a lot. It just sounds better every time! The bonus CD is also great.

[@RautaMetal]

Ace

[@DahmerJ17]

Have not heard this one yet. Can't wait to get it. Last one i heard was Fimbulwinter, an ok album but a little bit of a dissapointment. Cheers!!

[@deineath]

A Dead Rose for a Dying World has been playing on repeat over the past week.

[@yellowgoat5602]

Try with Seven tears are flowing to the river 🔥

[@deineath]

@yellowgoat5602 yup, that was on repeat 20 years ago. still hits hard.

[@vasara666]

Back to basics. I liked this album although it's little bit simple. Gonna buy this. Best songs was As Blood Snarls a Macabre and Silhouette and Behold the Infernal Kingdom of Hell. Good Yule, Rauta 👍

[@RautaMetal]

You too, sir

[@vasara666]

Thanks.

[@absolom84]

this goes straight into my top 10 BM-albums of all times

[@Count_Deangeli]

Listened to it today and then put on Djevel and definitely was more impressed with the latter

[@RautaMetal]

I found the new Djevel quite okay, but not good.

[@KMKimo]

Banger, happy holidays RRRRRauta!

[@dalazo]

I knew it was coming but whilst I think its great classic 2nd wave BM I was kind of hoping for a more melodic ride. However Ive only listened to it once, maybe this will grow onto me more.

[@Terrierized]

Hope you review new Heathen Deity

[@RautaMetal]

Unfortunately not gotten a review copy of that, so no.

[@TheTransylvanian]

This album is great I’m glad that Werwolf went back to his traditional sound & logo both are nice changes. I thought last years album was way to overproduced

[@hvitekristesdod]

Will be picking this one up asap! Thanks for the heads-up 😀 Gotta say his online webstore is a bit baffling

[@kirkkopalovaroitus4192]

I think this album is banger🤘🇫🇮couple more spins and this maybe best swm🤔

[@jonirissanen3038]

Great album ,i must order that!!! Have a great weekend jerry!! Satanic hails!!!

[@LastLegionOfficial]

This is a great album! Satanic Warmaster always delivers high quality black metal! 🔥🤘

[@douglasquaid7550]

One of the best albums this year for sure.

[@dirkkrau-stangenberg5632]

I have ordered it, Hail SW!

[@JanHell666]

Yeah this was great! And copy ordered.

[@jangebrt1006]

Good, balanced album. More interesting than Aamongandr.

[@Terrierized]

SW🔥

[@db-zm8to]

Great album hails from Berlin!

[@n3crowarlvck]

Definitely are very JI/DT vibe. A very cold and raw sounding album perfect for the coming months of winter induced depression

[@natred]

CD SUPREMACY Very, very good album and unexpected xmas surprise from Werwolf. No matter what you think of the guy, he delivers some exquisite black metal. 666 hailz \M/

[@Messenger_of_death]

Had new clue there was a new Satanic Warmaster album 😯

[@kneztm]

Ordered my cd. That bonus disc should be nice. Cryptic Winter (Judas Iscariot) on drums.⚡️🤘

[@gabrielecapo10]

Nice sound, concept and vocals, but very dull, monotonous and flat music. Riffing is very boring and quite common stuff altogether. I like JI's style a lot and raw classic black metal in general, but this to me sounds very generic and couldn't give it more than 4 listens without falling asleep. My opinion eh, no offense intended.

[@RautaMetal]

To each their own. I prefer this style.

[@gabrielecapo10]

@ I'm sorry, my friend, but it's not a question of style, as I've already explained. I like this kind of black metal a lot, I just find the riffs to be boring and not very interesting, a non inspired version of old style black metal. If I didn't like this style I wouldn't have watched your review and I wouldn't be commenting it. I can accept that you like it, but you have to accept my reasons why I don't like it too.

[@RautaMetal]

Sure, I have no problem accepting your opinion :)

[@RobHellfire666]

Im a bit surprised by this review, but I think there might be slight bias at play. I understand the reasons for that. I thought the album was the weakest album of the year, especially considering the source.. Definitely the weakest, crappyist album SWM has ever put out.. The album is "okay" if you're not comparing it to other SWM albums, but albums like Thimulwinter crush this new one, regardless of era.. Very disappointing in my perspective.. I'm sure the next SWM album will be much better, as Werewolf will want to redeem himself.. Again, definitely bottom of the 2024 list..

[@RautaMetal]

Very surprised to read this, but no bias in play: I just think Judas Iscariot is the best USBM band ever and like said, since his is in the same vein, I love it.

[@RobHellfire666]

@RautaMetal I wholeheartedly respect your perspective/ opinion brother.. Metal fans are the hardest to please.. No exceptions here.. 😎

[@RautaMetal]

Sure thing!

[@RobHellfire666]

@@RautaMetal Order of Nosferat is coming out in 4 days (shitsmass day) so that, will be one of the best albums of the year. So we at least get one more great album in 2024 😎

[@RautaMetal]

Unfortunately I am not really a fan of that band.

[@Belief88BM]

sad but unfortunately I didn't like the album at all, there is no that unique melody which was present in earlier releases ... The music became as usual as possible in every sense, the band lost its uniqueness, became just one of ....

[@RautaMetal]

IMO it’s now more unique than with two previous albums.

[@Belief88BM]

​@@RautaMetal imho The failure of the previous album was because the sound was too soft, if the guitars on this album sounded more aggressive, Werewolf should have added more treble and midrange to the guitars to make them sound angrier. In terms of music I changed my opinion of the ‘Aamongandr’ album for the better by the way. Also I love old Satanic Warmaster albums like ‘Opferblut’, ‘Strength and Honour’ and 'Carelian Satanist'(ofcourse!), but the new album doesn't have such hits as Burning eyes of werwolf, Black Destiny, Vampyric Tyrant, One shining star, Rotting Ravens Blood and ect

[@RautaMetal]

Sound is one thing, but to me Aamongandr is on the 6the place in SW discography.

Did he really say "Fuck this Finnish black metal thing"?! If this is true, he had basically spoken against the best way of writing black metal - with actual melodies, yet keeping the rawness and aggression, to embrace "American" black metal way, whatever the fuck would that mean. Sorry, but Finland has produced the best black metal the world has ever seen, and this is due to the riff composing technique. People, who play and write music in that style, know what I'm talking about.

[@RautaMetal]

Not literally, but in that fashion. You can see it on his Facebook page etc. I think it is more the "scene" of copycats etc. than the musical style.

[@Northbound666]

Like with everything that achieves some sort of greatness there will be a period of stagnation and downfall or restart. Way I see it the old guard might have gotten a bit too confortable at some point, repeating familiar patterns. At same time those who grew up with the great achivements of the old started to mimic what they heard around mid 2000's and this spread to many other countries as well riding the hype. These together lead to a state of stagnation and copycating to wich the comment and the album might be a reaction to. Lucky for us listeners this year there seems to be some kind of awekening with new SW, Horna, True Black Dawn, Nightside, Förgjord at least being some of the best albums from Finland in over a decade. They are still showing how it is done properly and without compromises.

@@Northbound666 I don't really like most of the bands you listed. When I mention Finnish BM, I mean bands like Sargeist, Sarastus, Satanic Warmaster, Noenum, Goatmoon, Azaghal and in general all of those bands who make their riffs in that particular way with open string and melody on the string below. I don't know what the guy meant with "fuck Finnish BM", and I don't really care as long as there are bands who make music in my preferable way.

[@RautaMetal]

Thanks for your words, Northbound!

[@adamagedone]

This thing was a major disappointment, painfully dull and plodding. It also sounds like shit, this is the wrong way to do harsh production: a record can sound unpolished and abrasive without sounding as weak and constipated as this one. The vocals sound like they were recorded on an interphone. A huge step down from the previous release

[@IndreTorment]

You are in the wrong scene

[@RautaMetal]

To each his own. For me it’s a step up.

[@IndreTorment]

@@RautaMetal i agree with your review ,this record is a killer and by his best works like the old records, my answer was a response to adamagedone

[@RautaMetal]

Yeah, noticed :)

[@TruthRevealed9]

Insanely weak riff writing, boring one dimensional vocals, generic played out bullshit as usual.

[@RautaMetal]

I think these vocals are some of the best by SW ever. But to each their own.