There seems to be an increasing number of American bands stepping into the Norse-territory of Black-Metal in the past few years and bare a few notable exceptions (Wolves in the Throne Room and Natchmystium), I can’t say it’s a particularly enthralling movement considering most of them have failed to recapture that Norse coldness and dark quality of say Emperor or Immortal. Not to mention they shamefully lack an identity of their own.Coming from the sunny California, Sothis is another American act looking across the ocean towards their Norwegian counterparts for guidance and inspiration and whose sonority could easily be mistaken for any other Norse Black-Metal band owning nothing but the works of Dimmu Borgir and Emperor in their record collection.
“De Oppresso Liber” is Sothis debut full-length album and displays a Symphonic Black-Metal sound that is heavily indebted to Norwegians Dimmu Borgir. The way the songs are condensed with loads of synthesizers between a furiously fast and thundering rhythmic section and a precise and robust riffing clearly brings to mind works like “Enthrone Darkness Triumphant” and “Spiritual Black Dimensions”.
Definitely not the most original or appealing Black-Metal work you’ll hear all year since there’s precious little here you haven’t heard before done in a much compelling way, yet “De Oppresso Liber” occasionally displays some enjoyable and well-crafted moments that could certainly be well digested by the more avid fans of Dimmu Borgir. (5/10)
Band info: www.myspace.com/sothis
Label info: www.candlelightrecords.co.uk
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