Description
Satans history is storied, their albums and incendiary live shows, iconic. The Newcastle, England-bred lineup may quip that their career has been 44 years of prolonged mayhem with a 20-year lunch breakforming in 1980, eventually pausing before reuniting in 2011but circa 2024 finds the band thriving, writing, recording, and touring at the top of their game. Proof positive is their seventh studio album, and third for Metal Blade, ‘Songs in Crimson’.
If 2022s ‘Earth Infernal’ album was brutal, up-tempo and with loud guitars, guitarist Russ Tippins calls ‘Songs in Crimson’ concise. Its more to the point and gets there quicker. One of the reasons behind the title ‘Songs in Crimson’ is that this record is very song focused. Theres more punch this time around. Each chorus speaks for itself. An eminently relatable song is Era (The Day Will Come). There is nobody on this planet who is not familiar with the feeling of loss. When you get to the age we are at in this band, it becomes a weekly occurrence. If there is a message in the lyric, it is pretty much do not take anything for granted. Especially people. You just dont know what is around the corner that you cant see coming.
The band hands alongside Tippins on ‘Songs In Crimson’ vocalist Brian Ross, guitarist Steve Ramsey, bassist Graeme English and drummer Sean Taylorwere joined by (as always) Dave Curle of First Avenue studios for the record. On Earth Infernal, Tippins and Ramsey worked leads in unison, and again on Sacramental Rites on ‘Songs in Crimson’. Even though there are more riffs per song, we dont dwell overly long on any of them, the changes happen pretty quickly, they say. More bang for your buck. Style-wise, we doubled down on the notation gender weve used for the last few albums, says Tippins. Meaning that we dont really play in conventional major or minor keys. Theres always a note in a riff or a lead line that somehow seems wrong or unexpected. Those curveballs are planned, and the idea is that the more we do that, the more well come to be defined by it. I suppose its a mode of some kind, but we dont even have a name for it!
Satans chemistry, honed by years of collaboration, brotherhood and love, is unbreakable. We played at a metal festival where the headlining band had zero original members, Tippins says. I cannot get my head around that, though I admire their bravery. We are the genuine article. To be clear: We did not reunite just to trade on past glory, he concludes. If you want nostalgia, this is not the band for you. We look only ahead and always will.
Limited pale yellow marbled vinyl pressing
*Please note – image is a mock up only – actual colours may vary on finsihed product*
Tracklisting
Side A:
1. Frantic Zero
2. Era (The Day Will Come)
3. Whore of Babylon
4. Sacramental Rites
Side B:
5. Martyrdom
6. Turn the Tide
7. Captives
8. Curse in Disguise
9. Truth Bullet
10. Deadly Crimson
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