Wormreich, hailing from the East of the United American States of Milk and Honey and stuff (???), were formed in 2009. The band (at that moment a duo: Chris ‘Obsidiam Vulk’ Pyle and Ian ‘Nazgul Vathron’ McKinney) self-released the album Edictum DCLXVI in 2011. [Chris is also involved with Funeral Warfare, Viidron and Sinister Architect, and used to be member of Anociticus] [Ian had a nice solo-outfit, Firth Of Damnation, and used to be in e.g. In Ruins, Hecatomb, Soul Reclusion or Armament; currently he is in Viidron, just like Chris, and in Imbrued Deceit, which was formed after the demise of Soul Reclusion, a band that also includes members of Esoterica; this band’s fantastic latest album, Aseity, was reviewed recently by undersigned - see update March 24th]. In meantime they recruited a third member, Chris ‘Profana’ Pezzano, whom you might know from his activities in e.g. Octagon, Apocryph and Blood Stained Dusk. He used to be a live session member for Norwegian top-act Ancient too, by the way.
This record is not a ‘typical’ Black Metal thing, despite lots of traditional elements. Wormcult Revelations opens with Revelation I: Vox In Rama, a very unusual intro. Not a symphonic or atmospheric keyboard introduction, nor an acoustic one, and not a collection of natural sounds (rain, ravens and wind not included right here); Revelation I … opens rather creepy (some kind of Gregorian chants included), but soon transforms into a hypnotic march-hymn with great drum patterns, eerie guitar riffs and raspy, sulphuric screams. And throughout this ‘song’, it continuously evolves by adding a mostly oppressive atmosphere. Revelation II: Serpents Of Choronzon is the first ‘real song’, combining dissonant riffs, a merciless rhythm section and diabolically possessed grunts. This complex material contains those elements that make the Post-Black scene so attractive. The Gregorian chants return somewhere in the middle of the track, which shows an intelligent approach of the song writing. But it is, especially, the fierce energy that strikes. Damn, while maintaining a quasi-ironic dose of melody, and through using tempo-breaks, this track gets experienced as a sledge-hammer in the face of the Heavenly chieftain. Shaare-Maveth is an atmospheric and sober piece of ambience with a floating keyboard line and the sound of shores (I think), and it is a nice introduction to Revelation III: Devotion’s Final War, another fierce Black-attack with a violent groove and inconsonant riffs and chaotic yet well-structured rhythms (a huge contradictio in terminis, but oh so true). Besides, this track comes with some spherical synths, march drums and a melodic (semi-acoustic sounding) lead somewhere at the second half, showing Wormreich’s ingenious craftsmanship once again. The fourth revelation, Enim Satanas Meum Sanguinem is the most grinding composition on Wormcult Revelations, and the most Deathspell Omega-influenced one. Deathspell Omega are probably the band’s biggest influence. After Codex Lvciferivm, another atmospheric interlude (based, once again, on beautiful keyboard lines, clothing the whole in a veil of natural mysticism, and some industrial sounds; In Slaughter Natives and Raison d’Être might come to mind when referring to the soft-industrialised parts), the album ends with, indeed, a Deathspell Omega-cover, Malign Paradigm (taken from their grandiose Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice-album). …epic introduction, then chaotic war-scenes, all to please the sick-minded audience. I am pleased…