Reviews list for Satyricon - Nemesis Divina (1996)

Quintessential 90's  black metal album. If there is a record that I have found during my 90's catch-up listens that I would call a necessary and important listen for the era and the genre as a whole. This is not my favorite release, but it is solid. If you are wanting to become a musician within the genre, this is a must listen. You will absolutely find something here to emulate. I prefer more in my music, either melodically or aggressively, and although this does both well however neither really hit the spot for me. There is nothing wrong with this album,  and I get why others have this as a 5 star perfect album. This is an easy entry album for those new to black metal to get a good taste or idea of the genre and would recommend this to anyone wanting to know where to start because I can use this as a jumping off point for other bands and releases. As said, there are melodic points and even aggressive through out and if I was showing this to someone and pointed to a certain part and be like "more of that!" I can show them Immortal, or Dark Funeral, or other bands more in the similar style. There's just enough here to keep me invested, but also opens up such a big gateway to so much more. 

Satyricon's most ferocious and epic album that contains some truly classic tracks.

While I had no reservations in giving Satyricon’s debut album Dark Medieval Times a full 5 stars, I wasn’t quite as convinced by the follow-up The Shadowthrone. The band’s direction had shifted slightly more in favour of folk influences which took a little bit of consistent enjoyment away for me. It was still a good album with many fine moments, but I hoped that these Norwegian’s would produce something a bit more focused and blacker for their next recording. As it turned out, Nemesis Divina (which means Divine Nemesis in Latin) gave me the exact sound I was eager for, being the most ferocious album Satyricon would ever produce. It would also be the last true black metal album the band would produce before they began adding more industrial and, dare I say, mainstream aspects to later recordings. Thankfully, they unleashed this wonderful piece of destruction for their fans before the unavoidable and controversial shift in sound.

Satyr and Frost are present as usual, with the only change in line-up coming with Kvelduv (Nocturno Culto from Darkthrone) taking the place of Samoth on guitar. The switch meant that Satyr took over bass duties to go with his vocals and lead guitar. I don’t know how much Kvelduv had to do with the writing process on Nemesis Divina, but there’s no doubt that his entrance resulted in a far more vicious sound. Frost is at the top of his game throughout this album. His blast beats are furious (not to mention perfectly executed) and he adds variety and power to every part of Nemesis Divina. It’s really the album where he put his name up next to the likes of Hellhammer as one of the very elite drummers in black metal. Satyr’s vocals are also at their most venomous, remaining almost completely decipherable while giving every word absolute conviction. Yet there’s no doubt that the reason this album is so gripping is due to the cold, yet majestic riffs. It’s like a tutorial on how to perform black metal riffs with classic after classic coming at the listener with endless intensity. The band may have simplified their sound stylistically, yet the underlying structures are quite complex, shifting in velocity and tone regularly.

With all the praise I’ve been spraying around over the last couple of paragraphs, it may seem a given that I’ll give Nemesis Divina full marks. Well I have to say it hasn’t been that clear cut. There are a few fluffy moments that really stand out as breaking the mood (the folk/piano piece at the end of Forhekset in particular) and the closing instrumental Transcendental Requiem of Slaves is basically a collection of (admittedly decent) leftover riffs clumsily flung together. Yet despite these flaws, there’s no doubt in my mind that the album contains some of the absolute best material recorded not only by Satyricon, but in black metal in general. The Dawn of a New Age, Mother North and Immortality Passion are just incredible examples of epic black metal, created by three individuals firing on all cylinders. Simply put, if you like black metal in the slightest, Nemesis Divina damn well should be part of your collection.

"This is Armageddon!", he said.  Turns out his version of Armageddon is powerful as we all fear but is full of melody and enchantment.  The army it brings marches full of poise but is devoid of pomp; each confident footfall is firm holding the frame of each soldier stoic in their armour. When they charge, they blister the very earth itself as they scorch a black fire across the face of humanity, searing it's skin burning it's clothing and hair.  Back at marching pace they are vigilant, leaving no stone unturned, missing no opportunity to spread their disease far and wide, constantly expanding the invasion.

"This Armageddon!", he said.  This isn't a slaughter though, there's no hacking, no beheadings, no quick endings.  This is a torturous and vibrant parasite that dances on the air like some macabre firefly.  It kisses the oxygen gently, igniting it, teasing it's victims - forcing them to witness the performance.  Morbidly vivacious in their theatre, there is almost an air of enticement to its obvious yet alluring intent.  Not content to merely petrify with their looming atmospherics and siren-esque application of marauding melodies, when the swarm speaks it's tones are grim and ghastly.  The words are spat, mockingly into the faces of the terrified.  Their echoes, ring in the ears of all who he hear their utterance, carried on cold winds full of grit and darkness.

"This is Armageddon!", he said.  But this is actually a rebirth.  Once the addressing of the balance of power is done and darkness reigns supreme, it will learn to cast aside its ways of old.  It will show the vibrancy of evil's colour, the shades of black shall mix with the fiery orange of it's wrath, the deep crimson of its bloodlust, the burrowing green spread of the hellish micro-organisms it sweats from its very skin. 

"This is Armageddon!", he said.  It won't be quick, but nor will it outstay its welcome - the memory of it will not fade soon it knows.  As it clouds the skies, choking the life from the earth, the hordes play occasional folky melodies, aping the prey, letting it know the amusement this suffering brings.

"This is Armageddon!", he said.  Revel in its glory.

Back in the day I would undoubtedly have dished out a five star rating for this album without hesitation however these days my feelings are a little different. The album starts off with “The Dawn of a New Age” which can only be described as Norwegian black metal of the highest level. In fact it may well be the best thing the band has ever done. It shows Satyricon at their most brutal & this is a side of the band that I find really exciting. The rest of the album has plenty more of those moments & this element has always kept “Nemesis Divina” fairly high in my esteem. “Mother North” is a good case in point. It includes plenty of brutality but also a great sense of melody that has given it such a wide appeal. What I’ve tended to forget about this album over time is that it also includes some ideas that didn’t quite work for me. The last section of “Forhekset” is pure folk metal which doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest. I also struggle with the piano section at the end of “Du som hater Gud”. Closing track “Transcendental Requiem of Slaves” seems to have no song structure whatsoever & is clearly just a bunch of leftover ideas they’ve flung together. Regardless of these issues there is some fine black metal going on for the most part. Frost’s drumming & Satyr’s vocals are ferocious throughout & are the clear highlights. A pretty great Norwegian black metal album that has plenty to offer but may be a touch overrated in my opinion.