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PACT
The Infernal Hierarchies, Penetrating The Threshold Of Night

Moribund (2014)
Rating: 7.5/10

Now there’s an album title you might… or might not forget in a hurry. The Infernal Hierarchies, Penetrating The Threshold Of Night is the second full-length release from this black metal trio that hails from Pennsylvania. It follows on from the reasonable fury of The Dragon Lineage Of Satan, which was issued in 2012.

With a majority of the black metal I listen to, I expect it to be arrogant, almost militant at times, and hateful enough to keep the parents from the door. Thankfully, Pact’s latest diabolical offering is all of these things and more – a robust, well-spiked, fully-armoured despicable outing which makes sure that people still take American black metal seriously.

This isn’t your usual spouting of crackly black metal, though; instead, the trio injects a deadly dose of death metal mayhem, giving the sound an extra punch which is also the result of excellent production too. Whereas the debut platter may have lacked consistency at times, this time round the combo has ensured that each and every song is a blow to the stomach followed up by a devastating killer punch. The fury comes via the destructive drums of T and the battering ram of Wretch, who takes no prisoners with the crushing axe-work.

Although not exactly black metal that is out of the ordinary, this is above all a punishing record boasting nine powerhouse tracks which comb the depths of the River Styx in hope of finding esoteric powers of hate and evil which every other band has sorely missed. The black waves of dissonance are bolstered by the foul yelps of Hag, who lives up to his moniker by spewing out all manner of devilish burps, gurgles and grim snarls.

It’s most certainly contemporary by design; never once resorting to primal, remote urges, it instead inhabits the same dank kingdom as Behemoth with those deathly overtones of arrogance and horror. The tracks rage like dragons unleashed and flapping leathery wings over those blood-red seas. Pact creates a sound that has one sole aim; to slay all who contend its stature. It seems only natural that the likes of Marduk springs to mind too as the trio rushes headlong into the opposition, and with spiked limbs slaughters its audience with ease.

Fans of fast, brutal and crisp black metal will enjoy this opus, but do not fear if you are one of those who likes slower, more sinister moments too, because there are several cuts on offer here which will happily meet your needs as they rumble with arrogant fashion before the tanks are sent forth to batter.

Pact is certainly one of the more aggressive bands within the genre, but it is a sound that can at times grate on the skull, especially when one considers that this style of assault was done quite a few years ago now when Marduk and the likes were spat forth from hell’s domain. But even so, there are some excellent forays into Lucifer’s realm on this raging, frothing composition, namely in the possessed form of ‘Baal-Zebub Lord Of The Flies’, ‘Firelord Andramelch’, ‘The Witchmother Of Shade’s’ and the epic ‘The Howling Of Gamchicoth’. Pact most certainly cannot be faulted when it comes to over-the-top track titles, but in their absurd nature they live up to expectation as furious, maniacal expressions from a band who has become masters of hostility.

With so many deathly black metal bands leaving me cold of late – and not in a good way – it’s nice to be scorched by the burning breath of Pact. I’d like to hear a few more catchier moments thrown in the next time round, but as icy blasts go, this is one record that’ll remove your face in its ferocity.

Neil Arnold

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