Review by Dominik on February 20, 2025.

The Germans of Servant are back with Death Devil Magick, an album that continues their methodical approach to black metal. Much like their French counterparts Seth—just without the symphonic elements—Servant treats the genre as a technical discipline rather than an outburst of raw energy. If black metal were a mad scientist's experiment, they would be the ones in lab coats, carefully measuring the exact dose of venom to inject. Unfortunately, sometimes a bit of chaotic spillage is what makes the poison truly effective. Everything on Death Devil Magick feels carefully assembled, placed with intention, and executed with precision. All parts carry the weight of having been constructed with great effort and care and nothing is left to chance. This level of craftsmanship is admirable, but as always, the question remains: does technical perfection translate to emotional impact?

We need to remember that black metal was born from an ethos of imperfection, lo-fi production (ok, the least important part), raw emotion and anti-commercial stance. It was never meant to be clean, safe, or predictable. Death Devil Magick leans towards sterility rather than spontaneity. The highly professional but polished production mirrors the songwriting—structured, deliberate, and never reckless. This is not the kind of black metal that stumbles out of a dark forest with bloodshot eyes and a rusty dagger—it's the kind that arrives in a well-pressed robe, carrying a leather-bound grimoire. And yet, three albums in, Servant is still capable of delivering moments that remind you why black metal benefits from discipline and (!) chaos.

After the generic, obligatory intro (a trend I will never understand), "Temple" impresses with its coherence despite frequent tempo shifts. The transitions are fluid and the song shines with a well-structured intensity. Yet, the feeling of restraint lingers. It's as if the band could easily unleash total chaos but prefers to hold back—like a werewolf who refuses to transform because it doesn't want to ruin the expensive suit. This calculated approach works in places but can also make the album feel overly contained.

One aspect that immediately stands out is the guitar work, which injects the right amount of melody and feels the least "constructed" of all the instruments. The rhythm section, while perfectly synchronized, at times sounds so precise that the line between the human behind the kit and machine becomes blurred. That sense of control carries into "Fury", which for a minute starts off delivering exactly what its title promises—until it doesn't. For a brief moment, the aggression is fully present, only to deflate and settle into a safer pace. The track isn't bad at all, but it flirts with ferocity rather than fully embracing it. It's not that the mid-tempo sections lack merit, but when the band reintroduces the aggression later in the track, it only serves to highlight the potential that was left untapped.

When Servant does allow themselves to break free and take the unrestrained approach, as they do on "Litany", the result is far more compelling and suits the band well. Here, the intensity doesn't feel measured or restrained—it simply is. This song is exactly what "Fury" tries to be and fortunately does not suffer from being toned down in the wrong moments. Exactly here emotions shine over sterility.

Of course, no modern black metal album would be complete without an unnecessary instrumental interlude, and "Hope" fulfills that obligation with four minutes of... well, hoping it will end soon. A missed opportunity where more aggression, more chaos, or even just a well-placed scream could have made all the difference.

Overall, Death Devil Magick is a more-than-solid album, one that suggests Servant is still on the right path. It improves on its predecessor, features more strengths than weaknesses, and—on a purely practical note—keeps its song titles refreshingly short. Because let's be honest, no one wants to read a title longer than the running time of the song itself. The potential is there, but next time, let the beast out of its cage a little more often.

Rating: 7.8 out of 10, because sometimes black metal needs less control and more blood on the walls.