As their cult grows so does the distance their hymns carry as Athens, Greece-based black metal quartet MEDIEVAL DEMON return for a fifth full-length album which summons all manner of infernal names and unspeakable beings through ancient, time-gnarled hands. Imbued with ritual sacrifice and channeled in grand numbers ‘All Powers of Darkness‘ is a damned, nigh orchestral feature of ‘old school’ Hellenic black metal trait given to broadest and bold gesturing, an imposing and sinister statement in the band’s own deliberate classicist sensibility. While so much modern black metal invaginates away from tradition, weakening itself by burrowing together in decreasing sickly numbers here these four fellowes step to the altar in glorious, bloodied showing.

Medieval Demon have been around since 1993 and their original activity peaked around 1998 after a debut LP (‘Demonolatria‘, 1998) was released and their castle was shuttered, boarded up. Think of that original sound as both cut from the somewhat avant-garde, clandestine cloth of the original Athens scene but also conscious of some of Scandinavian sounds as well as groups linked to the first wave, such as Mortuary Drape. You’ll find the result familiar yet evolved into its own accost, particularly putrid vocals and ancient production values… all of which stood out when they’d returned with several original members for ‘Medieval Necromancy‘ (2018). That beginning for the band’s new era would include original member Jim Necrochrist (Darkest Oath) but he was soon swapped for Jim Mutilator (Yoth Iria, ex-Rotting Christ, et al.) and this meant for a different, perhaps more bombast inclined follow-up (‘Arcadian Witchcraft‘, 2021). This was the circle that the next few albums have summoned from.

With the immediate release of ‘Black Coven‘ (2022) there was a rapturous sort of orchestral/symphonic quality arriving within the band’s work, something less minimal than one’d expect while guitars from additional member Chthonius (who’d joined for their third LP) continued to revive traits of the past. I’d felt the end result was right on the edge of something avant-garde, or, just readied to break away from their ‘old school’ black metal sound. I’ve reviewed each of the band’s releases in some capacity and found each one consistent beyond the last, so, my expectations were set fairly high heading into this fifth LP, not only as a fan of cult Greek black metal but bands that are able to reinvent, recast and shape the distinct darkness of the early 90’s in their own way. ‘All Powers of Darkness‘ carries the same diabolic patience and grandeur that Medieval Demon‘s two previous albums had though some of the cleaner production values have instead aimed for a slightly more cryptic, nuanced dynamic.

Do not enter this latest moonlight ritual expecting erratic shifts in style or unexpected spasms beyond their known realm and ritual within ‘All Powers of Darkness‘ as Medieval Demon‘s focus is yet intently locked into the old ways, instead expect a general refinement and retuning of what they’d accomplished with ‘Black Coven‘. This means we find hymnal chorales, some clean vocal recitation, and a greater focus on the atmosphere which orchestral keys/synth and healthy use of timpani can create. “Mystic Path Towards the Abyss” is arguably the most complete, or most inclusive gathering of those traits included but the whole of this record ups the ante in terms of presentation while pulling away from some of the harder-edged tension found on the two previous releases. While this change is subtle and some of it boils down to a slightly different render it ultimately makes for a more stoic and atmospheric showing from these fellowes.

You’ll notice this right away as the celestial hum of the keys and almost buried guitar tone of opener “Raging Lord of the Deeps” gives us an eagle-eyed view with its distant opening declaration, fanfare which lasts the first three or so minutes to start. The ritual drums sound, the incantations creep in the ears like worms and fires can be heard roaring in full surround. There is no denying this is as cinematically charged as Medieval Demon‘ve ever sounded though no doubt some folks will find the rhythm guitars less direct in their shot than we’re used to. I personally loved this piece and the five or so songs which follow for this effect, the enormous space it channels as well as the malevolence it conjures. There is no mistaking this arrival as anything but sinister and this is too often lost among black metal acts worldwide, aiming for diabolic craft and evil’s majesty rather than introverted emotional castrati.

From the ritual in the ruins to the ancient overgrown cathedral mouth “Eosforean Night” is a bellowing, bass soloing, and even semi-melodic point of grandeur for the album beyond its opener and again feeds this streak of especially fine pieces which’d ring in mind well beyond the first listen. Though the orchestrally stoked sounds here (again) might not be exactly the riff-driven experience folks are seeking I’d felt this makes sense in continuation of ‘Black Coven‘ where instead of taking things to a maybe logical “progressive” space through complex guitar arrangements and many quick-change movements Medieval Demon‘s composers have sought broader gestures which are uniformly ominous, larger-than-life without entering black metal’s perilous realm of cornball circus music. That said, by the time we reach the end of the gutting and teeth gnashing pulverization of “Fullmoon Over the Temple of Baal” I’d been ready for a change of pace or presence. Still, even if they’d stopped there and let those dual guitar leads and temple bells ring out it’d already have convinced as some of the best work from the band to date.

The rest of Side B refuses to leave their tour of ritual sites and instead relishes the resounding of the hall further, beating their drums and almost beginning to reach for some symphonic Scandinavian-type pacing a harried, spiraling movements (see: “Abaddon” esp.) as the rest of the record warms through. The finale/title track (“All Powers of Darkness”) is a spectacle in and of itself, managing some prog rock inspired interjection at its finale via wooden flutes and a saxophone within its dirging and this ensures every moment of ‘All Powers of Darkness‘ is not only consistent but developing new sounds and movements ’til the absolute last second of its ~50 minute stretch. The full listen is remarkably sound, unhinged in its convictions and statement yet tightly writ down to the last note (not unlike Yoth Iria‘s own high standard).

Much as I’d make the argument that Medieval Demon haven’t changed on this fifth full-length album its effect and authorship have been realized within a pattern of increasingly taut ideation. Not only are these spiritually granted black metal pieces of a certain style and temperament but the composer’s hand is yet escalating in ambition. There was no way I’d end up walking away from my time with ‘All Powers of Darkness‘ and not considering it a fresh crown upon the band’s discography, it is just that wrathful of an event when set next to the mounds of timid, spare and scrawny black metal I’ve spent time with of late. On top of that I’d not once felt like the band were mining the past for impact, that this album is not so much nostalgia for something else but a vision which aggrandizes, inflates the legend of the old ways in its own way.

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