PAIMON GATE – ADVANCED SATANIC WITCHCRAFT LP (Nuclear War Now! Productions)

Both the aesthetics and – more importantly – the sound are evil as fuck so that’s a pretty good foundation upon which to craft something worthy. Paimon Gate successfully mixes the old and the older to deliver eerie, cursed gospels of Satanic Black Metal and second full-length ‘Advanced Satanic Witchcraft’ does exactly what the title suggests – pays horrendous unapologetic irreverent homage to evil forces everywhere through the most insidious riff-laden medieval Black Metal madness.

As is often the case when underground music is particularly effective and damned impressive, there is little or no hype around this band. Paimon Gate (the one-man act of a Nosferatu lookalike who is also vocalist / guitarist with Prosanctus Inferi) just is. And these foul audial abominations have been summoned forth in dedication to darkness, demons and ancient evil. There’s an uncanny authenticity at play here and an undefinable ability to conjure scathing nastiness. Through nuance partly but mainly it’s ravenous hostility steering.

The summoned storm truly arrives on ‘Headless Cat Totem’ and the world is suffocated in darkness. What a disgusting start to Side B. This album sounds great on headphones, but even better on vinyl. Yes, the fifth profanation is sick. I’m going for a cold shower.

Swirling, haunting rhythms merge here, there and everyfuckingwhere with demonic shrieks and a subterranean pulse to semenate a cacophonous, twisted medley that’s bewitching, disturbing, enchanting. ‘Advanced Satanic Witchcraft’ gets top marks as a welcome blast of ceremonial, ritualistic, depraved, analog obscenity – crude, cavernous and inherently infernal.

Evilometer: 666/666