Released in 2016 via the mighty Satanath Records, ‘Due Diaboli Et Apocalypse’ is the second full-length outing from Kazakhstani outfit Seven Sins. Given that Kazakhstan is far from prolific when it comes to metal acts, it was difficult to know what to expect (especially in the absence of a press sheet to accompany the album), although the sinister artwork suggested extremity lurked within. What I wasn’t prepared for was the level of clarity and precision this outfit could bring to the table – ‘Due Diaboli Et Apocalypse’ is a searing lesson in how to do symphonic blackened death metal right, and the eleven tracks on offer showcase a band with quite exceptional skills and production. Reminiscent of Dimmu Borgir during their ‘Puritanical World Misanthropia’ phase, ‘Due Diaboli Et Apocalypse’ is definitely an album for fans of brutally beautiful symphonic metal.
Sung entirely in Russian, the only downside to this album is that the lyrics are impenetrable to Western audiences. That said, the intonation and delivery is perfectly suited to the language and it’s hard to imagine the lyrics sounding quite so venomous if sung in English. Handily the booklet features translations of the song titles (although not the credits, strangely) which is not always the case with regional releases. Opening track ‘Tempus Mortuorum’ sets the scene as barely heard voices intone in the darkness and richly textured keyboards provide a suitably bombastic backdrop. A short, scene-setting and cinematic piece, it fades away before the band are properly introduced via the ferocious maelstrom that is ‘Kabbalah’. Capturing the elegance of early Therion alongside the rampant black metal fury of Ex Deo, ‘Kabbalah’ is the start of technically dazzling and sonically gargantuan album. It underscores, as if any further evidence were needed, the potent power of the passionate underground as the production and skill demonstrated here matches (and in many cases exceeds) major label fodder. The ambitious ‘Alchemist’ has a dark, filmic feel thanks to the jittery strings and stair-stepping guitar work, the latter treading a fine line between the bombast of power metal and the ferocity of death metal, bringing to mind the nascent Children of Bodom. A martial beat announces the fantastic ‘peregrinus’, which draws on Howard Shore for its sweeping classical elements before emerging as a well-rounded folk-metal assault that sounds a little like Dimmu of the Rings (!). The first half of the album is a dizzying and violent assault. Sweetened by the orchestrations, ‘mors atra’ is another track that has overtones of Therion, thanks in no small part to the split operatic and death vocals.
Offering a moment’s respite, the piano-led intro to ‘due diaboli’ is but a short breather before the full weight of the band is bought to bear, all squealing guitars and pummelling percussion. It’s soon eclipsed by the epic ‘seraphim’ which, with its dark, neo-classical vibe, still manages to hit a particularly satisfying groove. Another highlight lurks in the shadows in the form of the eastern-tinged ‘avicenna’ which speaks of far-flung provinces and hot wind tempered with the sweet scent of spice and mystery. Drawing such elements into their own unique tapestry helps Seven Sins to stand out form the pack and there’s no doubting either their ambition or their competence. With the album flying by, ‘praesupito reatum’ has an almost Maiden-esque feel to it as it slowly unfolds with some deft solo work. However, don’t get too comfortable because a roll of thunderous percussion announces the album’s heaviest track, leaving only the choral-infused ‘infinitas non’ to see the album out. For those who buy the CD, it’s not quite done for a bonus track arrives in the form of the brutal ‘Teofelspakt’, which arrives to give the listener one last savaging before the CD spins, regrettably, to a halt.
Beautifully produced and perfectly paced, ‘Due Diaboli Et Apocalypse’ is an album that very nearly passed me by. A perfectly formed reminder that the very best music lies far from the gaze of the mainstream, Seven Sins have turned in a deeply impressive sophomore effort and one that blackened death metal fans should make a concerted effort to track down. 9
