Review by Felix on December 6, 2020.

The story of Magoth is not without frictions, but mastermind Heergott has proven that they can take a lot of hits. The tough guy is the only survivor of the line-up of the last album and his personal situation has not always been easy as well. But here he reappears with a new team at his side and, even more interesting, a new album. Magoth's debut marked an outstanding start and set the bar too high for its successor. So what about Invictus?

I admit that the material did not blow me away as soon as the first tones set in. But this was just a kind of delayed perception. (Probably I have already lost too many brain cells, thousands of them die every day…) Magoth has penned an album that grows on the listener. It is not free from minor flaws, for example the endings of 'Entering the Cavern of Grief' and 'Ikaros' want to add diversity, but their gentleness rather hurts the flow of the full-length. Generally speaking, Invictus is characterized by some morbid vibes, stormy outbursts and a proper portion of atmosphere that comes in full bloom during the comparatively dragging parts. In addition, a fine instinct for genre-compatible melodies shimmers through the violent and opaque outbursts from time to time. All these features result in an album which could originate from Sweden as well – but this is rather a compliment than an accusation. To be inspired by names (or just to sound) like Naglfar, Setherial or Thy Primordial is anything but a shame. These bands also have that certain quantum of melodicism that fits the aura of the genre. By the way, 'Cain' is a brilliant example of the fact that Magoth mastered the art of creating melodic (and pretty melancholic) black metal. It feels definitively good to experience the marriage of the wistful guitar lines with the well-dosed drumming. And don't worry, the band is not at risk to forget its fundamental mission to offer vehement music, already the next song (the thundering and strict 'Ascension') brings the album back on track in this regard.

The material is free from external influences. Magoth presents pure black metal. This means they probably will never win an award for originality, but, much more important, they embody integrity and authenticity. Last but not least, they perform mostly very good music which is produced skilfully. Invictus sounds full, structured and complete. The guttural vocals fight with the instrumental wall of sound and both sides know to convince. Given this situation, it quickly becomes clear that the third album shows an upward trend, although their debut remains unrivalled so far. Especially almost hidden jewels like 'The False King' on the seventh position of the track list leave no doubt that Magoth is (again) a force to be reckoned with. Black metal disciples who like their music neither too pompous nor ice-cold have a good chance to find satisfaction and more with Invictus. And let's see what happens if the band can keep its new line-up stable. We don't need further frictions, but we never get enough of great black metal.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Review by Jack on July 22, 2003.

It has been a long time coming, but it sure has been worth the wait. 5 long years have Astriaal been plowing away in the black metal industry in the wee Australian continent. 2 MCDs and extensive touring and festival work, (including support for Opeth, Mayhem and Destruction) and finally the hour has arrived. Astriaal releases "Renanscent Misanthropy" upon an unsuspecting world – with no possible perception as to how the record may infect their daily lives...

Straight up, the first thing I noticed from listening to Astriaal's debut is how well they have fostered a sound that is completely their own. Sure, most bands will release a record within 2-3 years of their inception – perhaps 4 years, but rarely will it take them half a decade or longer. And sure, those records may be pretty decent, but I daresay a vast majority of those records will stink greatly of influences that can be traced back to outfits who have done the same thing before them, and if you dig a bit further back I am sure you can find other bands doing the same thing again, and so on and so forth. What I am trying to say is that Astriaal have bided their time well and put out a record that they can truly be considered Astriaal. Waiting those 5 years has paid handsome dividends.

All too commonly (circa 2002-2003) we are greeted with black metal records that are either wildly symphonic (a trend which is dying out) or trying to rekindle the spirit of Darkthrone and Burzum. While I have some love for those bands, I don't really want to be revisited with shoddy production and a vibe, which let's face it died in the early 90s. Thankfully, Astriaal with "Renanscent Misanthropy" have put out a black metal record that is just what the doctor ordered; a righteous dose of extremity and intensity that most death metal bands wish they could master, let alone the hundreds of black metal clones out there.

"Renanscent Misanthropy" is a monstrosity in heaviness and a lesson in wickedness and aggression in the black metal field. Combining this out-and-out brutality with a production to match it (mastered at one of Sony's premier mastering facilities) and you are greeted with a record that completely smacks the shit out of 95% of its contemporaries. It's pretty simple math really. To complement the ultra abrasiveness of Astriaal's infective black metal is the sparse usage of evocative acoustic interludes, which simply break up the material beautifully, not dampening the mood at all, but merely providing some breathing room so the music doesn't batter you into a bloody mess.

Bottom Line: I truly believe this is one of the finest black metal records to come out of the turn of the new millennium. I simply can't think of another black record to compete with the intensity and belligerence displayed on "Renanscent Misanthropy."

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8.5
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 8.9 out of 10

Review by Jack on July 22, 2003.

It has been a long time coming, but it sure has been worth the wait. 5 long years have Astriaal been plowing away in the black metal industry in the wee Australian continent. 2 MCDs and extensive touring and festival work, (including support for Opeth, Mayhem and Destruction) and finally the hour has arrived. Astriaal releases "Renanscent Misanthropy" upon an unsuspecting world – with no possible perception as to how the record may infect their daily lives...

Straight up, the first thing I noticed from listening to Astriaal's debut is how well they have fostered a sound that is completely their own. Sure, most bands will release a record within 2-3 years of their inception – perhaps 4 years, but rarely will it take them half a decade or longer. And sure, those records may be pretty decent, but I daresay a vast majority of those records will stink greatly of influences that can be traced back to outfits who have done the same thing before them, and if you dig a bit further back I am sure you can find other bands doing the same thing again, and so on and so forth. What I am trying to say is that Astriaal have bided their time well and put out a record that they can truly be considered Astriaal. Waiting those 5 years has paid handsome dividends.

All too commonly (circa 2002-2003) we are greeted with black metal records that are either wildly symphonic (a trend which is dying out) or trying to rekindle the spirit of Darkthrone and Burzum. While I have some love for those bands, I don't really want to be revisited with shoddy production and a vibe, which let's face it died in the early 90s. Thankfully, Astriaal with "Renanscent Misanthropy" have put out a black metal record that is just what the doctor ordered; a righteous dose of extremity and intensity that most death metal bands wish they could master, let alone the hundreds of black metal clones out there.

"Renanscent Misanthropy" is a monstrosity in heaviness and a lesson in wickedness and aggression in the black metal field. Combining this out-and-out brutality with a production to match it (mastered at one of Sony's premier mastering facilities) and you are greeted with a record that completely smacks the shit out of 95% of its contemporaries. It's pretty simple math really. To complement the ultra abrasiveness of Astriaal's infective black metal is the sparse usage of evocative acoustic interludes, which simply break up the material beautifully, not dampening the mood at all, but merely providing some breathing room so the music doesn't batter you into a bloody mess.

Bottom Line: I truly believe this is one of the finest black metal records to come out of the turn of the new millennium. I simply can't think of another black record to compete with the intensity and belligerence displayed on "Renanscent Misanthropy."

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Musicianship: 9
Atmosphere: 8.5
Production: 9
Originality: 8.5
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 8.9 out of 10