Of all the doom metal acts of the 2010s (and there were plenty), I think it’s pretty safe to say Crypt Sermon are among the best. Their brand of epic doom channeled the finest moments of Candlemass, Solitude Aeturnus, and 80s Trouble, yet without ever blatantly sounding like any of these said bands. In an environment rife with repetition and redundancy, this is no easy task. Nevertheless, they prevailed with crushing riffs, epic arrangements, and just enough unique intricacies (Singer Brooks Wilson sounds like Ozzy Osbourne meets Eric Wagner.) to catch the attention of headbangers near and far.
Now what if I told you 3/5 of Crypt Sermon lent their talents to, in the words of Monty Python, “something completely different”? You’re probably wondering, “How different are we talking?” Think instead of plodding guitars, dramatic vocals, and lyrics pondering various realms of Judeo-Christian spiritualism, you get savage riffing, hellish shrieks, and lyrics about, well, the exact opposite. In other words, think the Crypt Sermon formula flipped on its head. That’s exactly what guitarist Steve Jansson, bassist Frank Chin, and drummer Enrique Sagarnaga specialize in with their evil alter egos, Daeva.
Having first made waves with their debut EP Pulsing Dark Absorptions (2017), the band has now returned half a decade later with their debut full length, Through Sheer Will and Black Magic; a title that likely describes how this album was created. On the surface, Daeva is a black/thrash band, but not in the manner that may instantly come to mind (AKA first wave worship). No, Daeva owes less to black metal’s first wave and more to that obscure period in the 90s when purveyors of the sound were taking things back to their high speed roots. Think along the lines of Nifelheim, Aura Noir, and perhaps most prolifically on this release, Absu.
Whereas many in this niche can be categorized as “blackened thrash”, Daeva is more on the “thrashened black” side of things, if that were such a thing. Yes, there are thrashy riffs abound, with the fast ones echoing prime Kreator (“The Architect and the Monument”, “Arena at Dis”) and vicious breakdowns that rival Kill ‘Em All era Metallica (“Fragmenting in Ritual Splendor”). However, much of this album can simply be described as black metal, albeit with emphasis on the eerie and arcane. Cuts like “Passion of the Hammer” and “Itch of the Bottle” capture the diabolical spirit of the genre in its artistic prime (late 80s/early 90s), while the magnificent “Luciferian Return” proves that the Crypt Sermon gang can be epic in more than just doom metal.
Similar to the main outfit they formed adjacent to, Daeva can be compared to the titans of their respective genre, but can’t be typecast as just another knockoff. The songwriting and musicianship within is simply far too enthralling. Through Sheer Will and Black Magic embodies exactly that: “sheer will” AND “black magic”. Put them both together and you’ve got a lethal combination; a wicked, mesmeric, black-thrash offering that’s bound to make many year end lists with its infernal charm.
8 out of 10
Label: 20 Buck Spin
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Absu, Bathory, Aura Noir