Review: Lava Abyss – Sacrificial Ritual of Primordial Fire [Archivist Records]

In 2021, at the height of scorching summer, the Ukrainian-American black/death metal duo Lava Abyss digitally released their debut album Sacrificial Ritual of Primordial Fire, all by themselves. However, three years later, the local label Archivist Records reissued it as a physical copy, giving fans of the band the chance to add a CD version from their favourite band to their collection. Without much fanfare, but at a very opportune time, Sacrificial Ritual of Primordial Fire was reborn in a totally new form.

One member, Sergestus Baytalaal, guitarist and singer of Lava Abyss, hails from Ukraine, while the other, legendary Mike Poggione, is one of the most renowned American bass guitarists. He has contributed to over 20 extreme metal projects (including icons like Monstrosity, Vile, and Capharnaum), helping to steer the sound of death metal in a more experimental direction and refining it to perfection. Essentially, the bass lines are at the forefront here – not overpowering other instruments, but all the unorthodox moves, the building tension, and the atmospheric ambiance are Mike’s contribution. It’s clear that he gravitates towards a technical form of death metal, but the influence of black metal on the carcass of this album is undeniable. They describe their style as “plague metal”, a painful mix of atmospheric black metal and slightly dissonant death metal – sinister, intense, and severe.

More and more black metal bands are moving away from the canonical use of Satanism in their lyrics. World religions are gradually taking a backseat, allowing human beings to think more freely without relying on doctrines written by “gods” or their acolytes. It’s clear that mass control over humanity doesn’t end with the decline of religions, as political influence over the masses remains strong. However, we won’t delve into such a sensitive topic for the 21st century. Lava Abyss prefers to focus on more mundane and urgent issues, ones that depend solely on active individuals who don’t count on salvation from an almighty god. In their debut album, they tackle abstract but relevant topics such as environmental pollution, racial conflicts, and human folly in general. You can expect their lyrics to broadcast some of the world’s most pressing news, leaving behind the snowy past of true black metal with its harmless cross-burning and blasphemous shouts against the Jewish god (despite the fact that the artwork showcases a burning inverted cross).

The album’s title corresponds to its content, not only in the sense that it metaphorically burns away all the decayed forms of human imbecility but also in its occult atmosphere, largely created through female singing parts. These vocals naturally soften the overall sound of the album while adding a sense of mystique, an aura of the unexplained, and an influence from the otherworldly. This is especially evident in the title track “Sacrificial Ritual of Primordial Fire” and “Ash Fall”. Melodic traces periodically dilute the disharmonic structure of the songs, either softening the overall dynamics or adding catchiness, as heard in “Watch How’s Bleeding the Ground” and “Finishing the Era”. Generally, Sacrificial Ritual of Primordial Fire radiates raw, primal ardour but is far from primitive in terms of technicality. On the contrary, progressive elements are present in every track, even the simplest ones. This isn’t just about the sound, though it contributes to the rawness, but about the vital message, the fiery concentration of energy that bursts forth from various sources, infecting its surroundings with an unstoppable flame of hatred. The noise level is high, providing coherent perception of the music and adding another layer of chaos to the global flow of musical ideas. The more upbeat, punk-infused “By the Seething Pain” contrasts with the atmospheric creativity and complex technicality of “Wasteful Ways to Survive”. “Ember of Lava” leans closer to pure black metal in both musical style and aesthetics, while “Supervolcanic Obscuration” veers towards death metal with its characteristic repetitive guitar riffs and rhythm changes. Each track features unique bass line patterns, and though they are often buried under the noisiness and chaotic rawness, preventing the album from officially being labeled avant-garde, it’s clear they are close to achieving that status.

The band was previously known simply as “Lava”, but the new name added a grave, infernal quality, emphasizing the hostility of volcanic lava. No matter how you look at it, this music cannot be called friendly or optimistic (and the artwork follows the same rules). Many extreme bands try to draw this line from the start – if you follow the mainstream (which is quite relevant even in the BM scene), hope for insights from the music, or live mindlessly swallowing all the lies from the internet, then our music should remain hostile to you. Lava Abyss is an underground band – unpolished, hard to digest, and misanthropic. While they don’t fiercely adhere to any particular ideology, their darkness is capable of piercing only the deepest minds – those that are majorly free and independent.

https://www.instagram.com/lavaabyss/

https://archivist-records.com/?s=Lava+Abyss