Review by Sonny for Marduk - Plague Angel (2004)

Marduk, along with Emperor and Burzum, were one of the bands who got me into black metal around the turn of the millenium and their Panzer Division Marduk is still one of my favourite black metal albums. They are a band who, unfortunately though, seem to let themselves down with some lacklustre stuff, especially in more recent years, but when they get it right they can be as good as anyone and 2004's Plague Angel stands as testament to that.

The album is not exactly a retread of PDM, but it does, inevitably, cover some of the same ground as illustrated by the blistering opening one-two of The Hangman of Prague and Throne of Rats which are tracks that would be very much at home on Panzer Division Marduk, their relentless artillery barrage approach fitting right in with that albums aesthetic. However, on Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets things get very different with a much slower tempo and an almost doom metal main riff accompanying new vocalist Mortuus' imperious vocal savagery, as he invokes the coming apocalypse. After another couple of rippers, Perish in Flames provides another example of slower, more doom-drenched material. This doomy atmospheric works really well within the context of the unholy brutality of many of the other tracks on offer on Plague Angel and whilst providing some relief from the relentles sonic onslaught, they provide no remission from the violence and inevitability of death. However, instead of signifying sudden death from bullet or bomb of the quicker material, they seem to invoke a more creeping, insidious end at the hand of disease and plague. Deathmarch provides a further descent into despair with it's satanic-sounding horns and choir, not so much an interlude as a vision of hell. The mental images that are summoned by Plague Angel are reinforced by an imagined odour, like an unbearably thick, ferric stench of spilled blood and rancid meat, mixed with the smell of cordite and concrete dust. This isn't an album for the optimistic as it plays on all the horrors and terrors of human existence with not a single sign of hope or light.

Marduk have rarely sounded better than on Plague Angel, whether it is the swirling maelstrom of Morgan Håkansson's riffing or Emil Dragutinović's drum's relentless blasting, the four members are all in perfect sync and provided the proof that was sorely needed at this point that they still had what it takes and that they could put out an album worthy of attention in the rapidly expanding world of black metal. Man, another Plague Angel is long overdue from these guys now!