Review: Vicarivs Filii Dei “Index Librorum Prohibitorum” [Hell Awaits Records]

If my review of Index Librorum Prohibitorum seems out of place in parts, it’s only due to the fact that I had listened to Vicarivs Filii Dei‘s second album Non Cogitant sed Tamen Sunt first, before being able to listen to this album; as the latter is such a beautifully crafted successor to it. There are only three songs on this album, but the longevity of the tracks, more than well makes up for it. And, oh does it ever…

“Exkommunikation” is a profoundly deep, and emotional prelude to Non Cogitant sed Tamen Sunt; as the first track “Teufelskreis” from that album highly mimics the traits from this track. However, something very different happened concerning this. More so, like a personal revelation of sorts. Instantly from the very first time that I started listening to this album, upon that first melodic note struck; I was very much reminded of something. A song. A song from long ago, that the name of it had eluded me ’til just mere days ago. The more I kept on listening to this song, the more that I was heavily reminded of this other song. It was really eating at me, ’cause I just couldn’t place it. Then it hit me… I remembered the name of the song, but not the band. Just out of the blue, it had hit me. So, I went to YouTube and typed in “I’d Love to Change the World”, the first thing that popped up was the band Ten Years After. I was like “Fuck, that’s it, that’s the song!” So, I listened to it, and the haunting melodic riffs on that early 1971 classic, harbored that same eerie and chilling tone to it. That same, exact tone that is in “Exkommunikation”. So beautiful, haunting and chilling the riffs are on this. Absolutely uncanny how the riffs on both of these songs possess that same resemblance; while at the same time, not at all even being remotely the same. I can pretty much guarantee you this… I seriously doubt that you will ever see Ten Years After ever being mentioned again in comparison with a black metal song in a review. Hell… in fact I still am astounded that I am even making a comparison reference as such! Remarkable!

I still have so much more to say about “Exkommunikation”, though! I tell you what, those accursed “butterflies” come at me again, the very moment this song starts. To the point I about feel sick to my stomach. No matter how many times I listen to this album… this song… “Exkommunikation” yields the exact, same results; no matter how many times I listen to it. This feeling is always present. It never leaves me throughout its duration. It can be very maddening at times, ’cause it literally makes me feel physically ill, with every fucking listen. I do not at all mean this in a bad way, as this song completely surpasses all the realms of what true beauty is… of anything, and everything. Just it would be nice not to feel sick to my stomach when I listen to this song. The intense power of Antimessiah‘s emotions are felt almost uncomfortably strong with this ingenious masterpiece; it’s almost like a suffocating feeling. After those haunting, chilling riffs at the start, comes through a semi-spoken dialog type of singing. Done in a way that’s most unique… laying on massively thick, heavy-set reverberations. I’m not over stressing this at all… His reverberating vocals on this track are overwhelmingly mesmerizing! Soon afterwards, only to go full on cut-throat, fast and relentless. At (05:49) he pushes forth a very deep, bellowing sound, that just fucking breaks me and I can’t help but to say “Goddamn” out loud every single time! It’s so fucking deep and passionate! His drumming style is blistering, maddening chaos, with so much cymbal clashing; the intensity of “Exkommunikation” rises even further! Insane, chaotic riffs gives off the impression of vaguely adhering within the background at times; as Antimessiah‘s vocals seem to surpass the music, just ever so slightly. His singing, while still maintaining that lustrous beauty; feels very forced, and tumultuous… but not at all in a bad way. More so, in an extremely intensified, and affecting sort of way.

Excessive and enriching atmospheric riffs enter ever so smoothly into “Brennende Schriften”. Vocals feel inordinately pushed on this track. Antimessiah is one of those singers that has such a very domineering voice, that from instant onset of the first lyric sung or spoken, you give him your undivided attention. Always. You instantly stop whatever it is that you’re doing (if you’re even doing anything). There is absolutely no one on this earth that can even remotely sing, as to how this guy does. Unquestionably, no one holds a candle to him… indisputably, no one. Again, that reverberation, just Goddamn! Within Antimessiah… such beautiful passion lies, and all of that just comes through in massive droves of waves. This album… this song, is probably the most forced I’ve ever heard him sing on. In all honesty, I’m truly surprised that he still even has a voice, after all this. While you can hear all of the music rather nicely, his voice seems to really dominate over it some. It is most definitely and very solidly prominent over the music. Goddamn just that passion, though! This song seems to thrive off a lot of clashing noise, while maintaining a steady pace all throughout. However, the melodically steady riffs, which harbor a nice, full richness of atmosphere; blends in ever so beautifully with that very immoderate clashing noise. Very entrancing.

“Ketzerverfolgung” devastates me completely, from beginning to end; and because of this, I feel like I need to dissect this song into two parts. One part for the music itself, and then one part for Antimessiah’s voice; as they are two separate entities blending within…

The music: Intense clashing sounds resonate heavily upon onset; carrying itself into melodic-leaden, atmospheric riffs. Drums pick up in pace, garnering a bit more speed and heaviness, ever so slightly. As well as emphasizing a high-spirited, overpowering beat! The clashing sounds get more, and more intense for a bit, as the song carries itself up to about the mid-way point. What makes this song truly special is how it beautifully distributes itself into two sections of completely different atmospheric tones. A miniscule break leads directly into a petrifying, harrowing intonation. Almost a bit droning, at times. The riffs so simplistic, yet at the same time very effective; lasting throughout the song’s duration.

Antimessiah‘s voice: As I have to mention some things, I must set aside “Ketzerverfolgung” from all of his other songs, no matter which album I am listening to; regardless of whichever band he is in. This song holds an insane amount of passion within the context of his voice. The reverberation of his voice is charged with such intensified emotion! The passion of it is so severe, it rigorously fucks me up in a distressing sort of way. Those elongated screams of his, I swear does me in every single time. It is genuinely something so beautiful! Between the passion and the reverberation; it’s an experience that I feel so strong… especially during those last few moments. My soul is left crushed. There is so much forced passion in this song that you can actually feel that same emotion from Antimessiah coming through. That same endearing, painful passion. What’s most unusual here is that with this song, his voice holds close an impassioned atmosphere. An atmosphere that you can feel just as strong as his voice demands it. With that break (musically speaking, mentioned above), leads into more of a spoken-word-type of singing. A most unusual style of singing that harbors within the power to hypnotize. I break down so easily at this last part of the album, with this song… starting from (09:36) to the very end… eleven elongated screams of pure torment and pain that enters into my soul so easily, crushing it; in turn suffocating the breath out of me… I can barely stand it! At this point honestly, it’s almost like a feeling of dying in agony; with an odd exception that this “feeling” is such blissful delight! I’ve never said this about any song, or album ever; but the intensity is so disturbing that I almost feel like I am going to die. Strong words to say, I know… but if death were to ever be by a song, then this would be the song to go out on. “Ketzerverfolgung” is just that beautiful! No other song, at this moment in time is more beautiful. Until hearing this album, and then this song; “Teufelskreis”, from Non Cogitant sed Tamen Sunt was my favorite Vicarivs Filii Dei song. But when I listen to this track however, I swear it practically almost kills me, every single time. Fourteen minutes and fifty-seven seconds of pure, unadulterated ecstasy!

No matter how many times I listen to this album, especially during those last few crucial moments, Index Librorum Prohibitorum attests to be just that powerful of an album! You can feel so strongly the impassioned desire that Antimessiah has placed upon Index Librorum Prohibitorum, as it would seem. As I had listened to Non Cogitant sed Tamen Sunt first, I truly had no idea just how intensely powerful that this album was going to be. As I had been massively addicted to Non Cogitant sed Tamen Sunt to the point of listening to it multiple times daily. When I first had listened to this album, I listened to it eight times in a row; as well as now almost daily, many times repeating it often. It should be clear as to just how addicted to this album I have become. I adore this album so much, profoundly! So, so much! As I had initially thought that Non Cogitant sed Tamen Sunt had destroyed me emotionally… with this album though, in all honesty, I’m not so sure that I can ever recover from this one. Only time will tell; but as of now, I am so emotionally distraught, and so in love with Index Librorum Prohibitorum. Not going to lie, I cried my eyes out listening to this album. I was genuinely moved so much by it. I pretty much listen to this album almost every day, repetitively so. I am so massively in love with it, so damn much. I really need to get a back up cassette of this album, ’cause I am seriously wearing this copy the fuck out!

Release date: November 2010

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