Year: 2025
Label: Vendetta Records
The scitalis was, apparently, a mythical serpent of antiquity with so amazing markings on its back that it could stun whoever saw it. I presume the serpent would then proceed to make lunch of those such paralyzed. Apparently the scitalis was also a warm blooded creature, to the point of being scorching hot, thus being out and about in the winter, even shedding skin.
Swedish Scitalis are an entirely different breed, namely a black metal band. But, does their second album Maledictum have a petrifying effect on whoever hears it? And if it does, is that a good thing?
One of the first things one notices when listening to the album is vocalist A’s rather unique tone. And yes indeed, it may be enough for one to stop and pause for a while – close enough to being paralyzed, right? His vocals induce instant pain somewhere in the back of the throat, being a sharp, violent, raspy, high-pitched and tearing shriek. Sort of like what it might sound if one tried to do black metal vocals when suffering from a really sore throat.
Apart from that, Scitalis don’t really excel in the originality department. On the other hand, neither are they the most pastiche band out there. Theirs is a style building on the core building blocks of the classic second wave sound, meaning blasting drums, viciously shredding and tremolo picked riffs oozing sinister, melancholic melodies. It’s vicious in its speediness, but ultimately far from the most abrasive stuff out there.
I find myself thinking of fellow Swedish act Bekëth Nexëhmü and related acts, in particular Azelisassath, who I’ve listened the most to. In the same way, Scitalis is rooted in tradition, but takes this well established formula and manages to avoid the biggest clichés. In other words, not an original style, but a personal take on a classic sound.
Scitalis perform admirably for 3/4’s of the race. They’ve got a good style, some elements in their sound that separate them from the gray mass, and Maledictum sounds good. Sadly, it’s a bit lacking in the memorability department. I’ve spent about two weeks listening to this album, but I still can’t name a single song from the album. I can’t tell you if a particular moment of shredding guitars and blasting drums belongs to this song or that song. It’s all cut from the same cloth, to the point of becoming counterproductive.
Sadly. Because there is a lot to like in Maledictum. It’s a surprisingly atmospheric album, with some nice moments of dark melody woven into the black metal fury. Ah, if only there were just one or two tracks here that stood out and mad themselves memorable!
Even with this flaw, Maledictum is an album worth checking out. It’s just a shame that last oomph is missing.
Only Death Is Real 