In their early years, Reverorum Ib Malacht were part of the anti-cosmic Black Metal community in Sweden. However, in 2009 Lundin (formerly also known from Dödfödd, Ofermod or Emit) and Mikael converted to Catholicism (nobody’s perfect; no further comment). When it comes to this band specifically, well, they call their style Roman Catholic Black Metal. And since there are hundreds of Black Metal bands that have their beliefs rooted in Christianity from whatever current, I think there is no need to dislike their material without having listened to it. Sometimes you read the description ‘Unblack Metal’, but I think that’s foolish. Conclusion: Reverorum Ib Malacht are a Swedish Black Metal band. There you have it…
First this. De Mysteriis Dom Christii comes in different formats, i.e. CD, 12”LP and tape, all done via Oregon-based The Ajna Offensive. All of them come with different tracks, different ‘music’ (you’ll find out, if you continue reading, that the ‘musical’ part of the game isn’t that harmonious). We did receive the CD-edition, so I can’t say anything about the other versions.
With De Mysteriis Dom Christii (what a mayhemic title, haha – got it?), Reverorum Ib Malacht bring seventy one (!) minutes long soundtrack of Apocalypse and Armageddon. Opening track I (the eleven tracks are called I up to XI; it’s a trend we do see more lately) is a grim, industrialised intro, and II starts in a comparable way: eerie sounds, gritty noise, a minimal form of Industrial. Slowly it transforms into a noisy form of Bleak Metal, then it returns to the schizophrenic sounds of frenzy and total madness. Psychopathic soundscapes interfere with artillery-laden drum patterns, Noise-Ambient monumental as a cathedral (you’re welcome…) and the most creepy vocals at the background… This is Enbilulugugal, Oskryf, Amnis Nihili, Zarach ‘Baal’ Tharagh, Abruptum and Echoes Of Chaos mixed into one bizarre yet extremely suffocating mélange with a mesmerizing and abyssal atmosphere. The lo-fi sound makes it all even worse (and that’s a compliment!)… Sometimes it isn’t but Minimal Industrial / Noise, then again it turns towards chaotic Black Metal, or a mixture of all this.
And it does not stop there. V for example is a grim-shamanistic sound-wave with an ominous approach; VI a rather post-droning and psychotropic piece of Tribal, like a hypnotic spell, with esoteric, quasi-Gregorian chants towards the end, only meant to make you even more confused. XI, which lasts for more than ten minutes, sounds like a mixture of every sonic detail that breathes ominous obscurity, translated into an aural trip through spheres of nihilism and endless / timeless nothingness. And so on, and so on, and so on… Throughout the album there are some additional hints of Aborym, Mayhem’s Ordo Ab Chao, Deiphago, Gnaw Their Tongues, early Void Of Silence, MZ.412, Cryptic Winds and the list I just mentioned in the former paragraph, but the result called De Mysteriis Dom Christii is like a primal 2.0-expression of all those elements, translated into a unique but uncomfortable piece of Aural Art.
Despite the undefinable and quasi-incomprehensive experience, and the very long duration, I can recommend this album. But believe me: you need patience and a strong heart / stomach to search the different layers of sonic divinity into this multi-dimensional post-apocalyptic soundtrack.
Amen!