Formed in 2020, the Norwegian black metal outfit Avmakt first began turning heads with demo material and then quickly signed to England’s esteemed Peaceville Records. Thus, by 2022, one of their tracks was featured on the Peaceville 35th-anniversary compilation, Dark Side of the Sacred Star. Acclaim followed and anticipation for the band’s next step mounted. Avmakt’s full-length debut, Satanic Inversion Of…., has finally arrived to inject its cynicism.
With six tracks ranging from over five minutes to over ten, Satanic Inversion Of…. delivers tried-and-tested goods and yet lends the impression that it comes hiding behind a DIY xeroxed cover, as the extreme metal of earlier generations. Straight out of Kolbotn, Satanic Inversion Of…. sounds as though it was written specifically to please Fenriz, and, indeed, the Darkthrone legend has voiced his strong support for Avmakt. Grim, frostbitten, and primitive, this offering amounts to a mostly no-nonsense, no-frills homage to the past. It boasts the kind of old-school and shabby production extolled by the likes of, again, Mr. Fenriz.
Satanic Inversion Of…. was recorded with the assistance of death/thrash metaller Arild Torp of Nekromantheon and Obliteration, a group with which Avmakt’s two members are associated in different capacities. Avmakt itself consists of Christoffer Bråthen and Kristian Valbo, accomplished musicians who have played different forms of metal. Valbo performs live with the influential Aura Noir, and, interestingly, has previously appeared live with Valhall, a collective co-founded by Fenriz that ultimately flew off to Mars, settling on a trippy and doomy direction.
Yes, as the work of other Kolbotn acts, Satanic Inversion Of…. reflects a general love not only for extreme metal, but also some other types of metallic and vintage rock influences, including stoner doom. Whims alien, glorious, groovy, and more add mystery and intrigue. Nevertheless, overall, Satanic Inversion Of…. remains an abrasive assault with low, stomach-churning vocals and drab atmospheres. Tempo changes present themselves with ease. The slower paces engender especially evil and brooding vibes. It is worth noting that even within the faster moments, there persists a certain rootedness, as opposed to energy so maniacal that it might horrify, though others might disagree.
From beginning to end, Satanic Inversion Of…. tirelessly and effectively carves away at the listener, causing a sense of hollowness and meaningless to well up. Through the woods and into utter desolation, Avmakt drags their suspecting victims. It could be claimed that most of us are but empty structures, no more than just dust; and, in nihilistic fashion, Avmakt will leave you feeling like the scorched remains of what once was a structure of worship.
