Review: Sarcator ‘Sarcator’
Sarcator, are a young band from Sweden. Even if they’re all still teenagers, they strike with quality old-school death metal with the feeling of the early 90s, when their existence wasn’t even planned by their parents, but, surely that spirit rightfully passed through the generations. They began their journey in 2018, and like the fury from a young herd, they released two EPs – Screams From Below and Sepulchral Noise – both within a short period of time, and are now back with their Self-Titled debut album Sarcator via Redefining Darkness Records.
Initially, it was pretty weird to figure out that the band name Sarcator is actually a mutated form of Sarcófago and Kreator! From that alone, anyone who’s never heard of Sarcator, may guess the source of their deep-down inspiration and the sound they intend to capture – madness, brutality and insanity, in the way their great elders envisioned.
That’s what their debut album is all about too. Kreator and Sarcófago established the legacy that brings the essence of ‘destroy all who oppose’ as these Swedes are fueled by the aggressiveness of Pleasure To Kill and Extreme Aggression and by the evil conducts of I.N.R.I. and The Laws Of Scourge.
Borrowing heavily from all those genre staples – with kick-ass thrash tunes, violent and unsettling transitions, furious guitar work, deadly vocal fury and also heavy, tight drums pounding; the whole album has an essence that these lads are not just here to show off their youthful charms, but have some stern skills and constructive ideas.
madness, brutality and insanity, in the way their great elders envisioned…
In less than fifty minutes of this record, this is proven in the head-smashing Manic Rapture, crushing proto black metal movements of Deicidal, the nightmarish and tormenting Midnight Witchery, extra-loud and mega-trebly Demonstrike and Purgatory Unleashed and the intrinsic darkness of Circle Of Impurity and Desolate Visions.
Recorded, mixed and mastered at Studio-MT, by legendary Marko Tervonen (The Crown), who is also the father of guitarist Mateo Tervonen, gave the whole album a warm and dynamic sound, that fully expresses the aggression and darkness this record beholds. No wonder, the father-son collaboration works in a positive way for the band and the exquisite proficiency of Marko Tervonen helps them saddle in properly and deliver with might.
Also, visually, the collaboration with Christopher Horst and Spectral Vision Art, captured the atmospheres and altogether should make thrash and death metal fans excited and dive in right away, to explore this debut by these crude forces and offer praise, so they keep on growing, creating in the same vein and become a household name in future.
Label: Redefining Darkness Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Instagram
Scribed by: Randolph Whateley