German black metal vets Krater delivered their magnum opus, and fourth album, Venenare last week via Eisenwald.
Sixteen years in, the Bavarian misanthropes create one of the best black metal albums of the year by combining all of the things that made their previous works so great: scaling guitar solos, pained vocal howls, Pagan chants and arctic blasts of double bass.
The band's melodic atmosphere is most akin to Mgła, which is great because these guys aren't white supremacists and I don't have to feel guilty for listening to them. There's also strong hints of Dissection, Mayhem and Bathory.
In fact, the Nuremberg-based band even namedrops Bathory, Mercyful Fate and other influences in a nod to black metal's forefathers called "No Place For You."
The song is more than likely aimed at black metal's recent trend of social justice, i.e. weeding out fascists and other dummies.
"You're digging from the past, without celebrating the roots of the cult," the lyrics read according to Metal Kingdom. "Not worthy to enter this temple."
Regardless of your political alliance, Venenare is a solid release and one you will end up spinning over and over. The album is out now on multiple formats via Eisenwald (purchase here).
