Upon The Altar - Descendants Of Evil

Upon The Altar are three piece Black Metal band from Poland that take the more blackened side of a band like Archgoat mixed with the 90s fuzzy and raw evil tones of the likes of bands such as Crebain for a thick, murky ride that is just pulsing from the bass and drum work. Formed in 2019 by bassist/ vocalist Void along with guitarist bTo and drummer Thisworld Outof, the monikers might seem ridiculous, but the force of their 2nd full length album on a new home with Godz ov War Productions is sure to turn heads. It is very raw, dark, and grim touching more on the kvlt side of things with the driving force being the drums and guitar and bass while creating that pretty distinct wall of sound effect. The vocals are a bit buried but have that echoing hiss to them among the snarls to add to the ‘evil’ aspect of them music. Tracks like ‘Baneful Benediction’ pull no punches and lure listeners in with the samples that feel like we’re starting to hear a Funeral Mist album before taking off with a smattering of drums, riffs, and vocals. The music is pretty twisted, but still enjoyable despite a rather ‘garage sounding quality.’

There are keyboards in the mix, but they are quite buried and sadly don’t enhance the atmosphere as much as one might want them to. Some tracks like ‘Jaldabaoth’s Breath’ are a little slower, doomier, and darker as a result with a shift to clean vocals versus the shrieks to add in a bit more of the 90s feel with likes similar to groups like Serpent’s Oath which take things at a more atmospheric pace. Upon The Altar don’t really believe in the atmospheric typical touches, but rather use the pacing the deliver those moments- especially with the drums on a track like ‘Annunciation’ which is seething, crawling, and will remind listeners more of Incantation as opposed to Marduk. The noise factors are ever present though that despite the slowness, Upon The Altar try to still create as much chaos as they can with the distortion, especially on the closing ‘Prolegomenon’ which is almost more of an instrumental as the guitar whines and drums pretty much lock the vocals in a coffin and don’t let it out, but on can still hear the desperation and grim hopeless tones that definitely border more Funeral Doom than Black Metal, but the raw kvlt presence in still there that will appeal to those who really enjoy the USBM scene as opposed to the European one.

“Descendants Of Evil” is rather unsettling to hear and keeps a simplistic formula; yes there is some of that catchy groove here and there but compared to the more commercialized bands out there like Emperor whose raw tones were mixed with lush beautiful moments, one won’t really find that here with Upon The Altar. Perhaps that is a good thing as this album doesn’t really feel like it has any filler. The whole point of the mix is create the horror aspects of Black Metal that made it so striking in the first place, but capitalizing on the old school elements of Death Metal bands like that of Witch Vomit. The result is definitely not an overt art of blasphemy that Archgoat would be proud to present, but the subtle textures and twists of the album be is the fast tracks or slow burn moments are definitely going to keep fans of any Black Metal genre interested (especially those of that later 90s sound) and continue to solidify Upon The Altar as a driving force in Metal. Evil music worth listening that isn’t as cliché as it seems.

3 / 5 STARS




1. Baneful Benediction
2. Horror Vacul
3. Jaldabaoth’s Breath
4. Unholy Followers
5. Malicious Holiness
6. Annunciation
7. Descendants Of Evil
8. Prolegomenon