Serpentine Creation are a Bulgarian Black Metal band. This is their second album.
This is some good old-fashion Satanic Black Metal with lots of darkness and some Classical overtones in their choice of malevolent riffs.
It’s multi-paced, razor-sharp and infused with a Blackened melodicism that cuts like a knife. They also incorporate a few non-orthodox riffs and ideas into the mix, which gives them an added dimension of interest. Serpentine Creation are firmly rooted in the Old-School but are looking towards the future at the same time.
The Fiery Winds of Armageddon is a solid album of Black Metal that features decent songs and surprisingly catchy melodies and hooks. This is one of those bands that I’d hesitate to call Melodic Black Metal; it’s more that they play Black Metal that features melody. As I’ve said before, it’s a subtle distinction but a distinction nonetheless. Although, having said that, this is closer to Melodic Black Metal than some of the other bands I’ve said that about, so I guess it’s all subjective really.
The album boasts a solid sound and everything is clear and crisp without being overly so and ruining the Blackened mood.
Screamed vocals are the main order of business, although the singer is not above varying this on occasion. He does his job well and screams out his invective with ease.
The guitars as a real highlight of this release, partly for the melodies, partly for the Blackened auras they create and partly because of the riffs themselves. Serpentine Creation really seem to be on point here with their writing and I love how they can change from fast, serrated riffs to chunkier, spikier riffs in short spaces of time.
Leads and solos are common and well performed. They add spice to an already tasty meal and it all adds up to an album of really pleasurable Black Metal. Sure, there’s nothing particularly innovative or new here, but who cares? The amount of bands that play innovative or new types of music is vanishingly small compared with what’s out there, and I for one have thoroughly enjoyed The Fiery Winds of Armageddon.
Check them out for yourself and see if you can feel the heat from their apocalyptic winds.
Wonderbox Metal 