Calling down all adversarial light through an extended ritual of devotion Trondheim, Norway-based quartet DIABOLUS, MECUM SEMPERTERNE! spread the gospel of the angel of the abyss through ritualized permutations of the orthodox black metal movement on this self-titled debut full-length album. Less a tribute and more an aspirational reconstitution of parochial attitudes ‘Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne!‘ is intentionally cathedralesque, hymnal in its reach for its own verve within the bounds of surrealistic death worship. The greater effect is ominous in its distant atmospheric thrum at face value, and satisfying in that sense, but all the more affecting per its devotional approach, a tone which invokes dissonance of spirit as revelatory liberation.

Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! formed by way of Cernunnus (Manes, Høstsol, Syning) in collaboration with vocalist K.R. who is best known as the original vocalist of Bloodthorn and more recently Whoredom Rife and Parfaxitas as both hold deep rooting in Trondheim’s black metal scenery. Their shared goal seems to have been their own take upon orthodox black metal and that process lead to pulling in B.Kråbøl (Misotheist) on drums and Kvitrim (Djevel, Vemod) providing choir to complete that vision. Said vision is one of steadfast sight, clearly concieved presence and stylized render where an auld cathedral-sized space is illuminated by thickly dampened atmosphere, a space compressed by possession but performed via pulpit adjacent voices where choir and organ add to the droning whip of severe black metal.

‘Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne!‘ is not featureless, at all, but it does constitute a heady sitting with some distance from the performances. As set of peaking atmospheric nodes float in one after another on high we find Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! rarely ducking into the grimy, rocking or even thrashing sectarianism of heavy metal informed black metal and in this way the full listen resembles atmospheric black metal at face value. Granted most every piece is given either prelude, interlude, or a long postlude upon exit ensuring that their already saturated atmosphere reads as an evening of hymnal devotion, a work framed by ritual worship and a sort of gnostic surrealism which suits their intended stylistic goal well.

“Ab illo benedicaris, in cujus honore cremaberis” blesses the ear with its incendiary speech, a haunting ten minute piece which sets its tone as foreboding despite an ethereally rushed atmospheric black metal step. Within the sprawl of its sermon the main rhythm guitar thread is set aback in multilayered compose, a multi-chair feat given ~equal volume as the churn of the choir and no real directive consequence beyond a few adjoining leads piping in. This doesn’t disqualify the experience from riffs but suggests this album is better served to folks seeking more than guitar driven black metal. There is yet slow-waltzing traipse to the song’s general verve which generally relies upon swells of hymnal voice and pricked-at leads to generate change within their foamy atmospheric trampling. We find a darker, more damaging accost within “Diabolus sit in corde tuo, et in labiis tuis, ut digne et competenter annunties evangelium suum” soon after, half the length of the opener but a doubly aggressive stance which rides along its central serpentine movement giving full-chested malevolence as their intensity reaches for diabolic grandeur.

One unifying trait among Nidrosian black metal adjacent groups is their measured approach, working smarter rather than harder in terms of creating an album experience. There might be two twenty-two minute sides here but the number of aforementioned interludium and ambient compositions slim the actual black metal pieces down to larger ~16 minute chunks. Here each side of ‘Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne!‘ sustains its immersive throughway without any noticeable division between these halves, a continuous flow between those four main columnar pieces. Side B standout “Gratias agamus domino infero deo nostro” retains the apocalyptic groaning movement of the first half while welcoming the ear more readily first via increasingly declarative vocal cadence, trading rant for angelic wailing in surround back-and-forth, per its main verses ’til it comes time to fall into roaring fire beyond ~3:20 minutes into the piece. The arc of this song and its midpoint reveal is subtle enough but bears some of the stronger conviction conveyed throughout the full listen. The orchestra swells nearby the end, the “Postludium” simply drains away and the album ends on a fittingly cold note.

For many ears the atmospheric flow through ‘Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne!‘ won’t register as particularly loud, skull spanking stuff and especially if you’re more a fan of loud pop-metal festival “black metal”. For others it’ll register as somewhat familiar, or, primarily unique for its use of choral vocals or even just its production values. From my point of view the level of subtlety and confluence of ideals in context of their lyrical focus makes for a satisfyingly atmospheric, deceptively calm sermon which conveys righteous spiritual menace. In this way Diabolus, Mecum Semperterne! manage a work which is their own lingering threat, an empowering work for the liberated which may escape the radar of the indoctrinated. This is well in line with their stated intent and otherwise makes for a uniquely dramatic black metal experience. A high recommendation.

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