Greek black/death metallers Exilium Noctis have just released their long-anticipated second album, titled “Pactum Diaboli”, via Black Lion Records. The quartet from Volos presents us with a beautifully dark new creation that includes nine tracks. The story or theme of the album, as we can conclude from the title alone, draws inspiration from the tale of Faust and his pact with Mephistopheles, resulting in a very interesting inner conflict around making deals with the devil. We start off with “Adventus Tenebrarum”, a menacing yet melodic entrance into the gateway that is this journey of a record. The title track, “Pactum Diaboli,” features none other than God Dethroned singer Henri Sattler on vocals — a powerful addition to the album. The intricate yet bloodthirsty instrumentation is evident throughout, and the vocal lines, out for the kill, truly match that intensity. So far, this album, in my opinion, sounds extremely interesting. As we move on, “Devil’s March” comes up — the second to the last song and my personal favorite on the record. With an intro that features dialogue from Jan Švankmajer’s live-action/animated 1994 film “Faust”, it’s sure to amaze and intrigue. As a fan of this historical piece of cinema, it was a very pleasant surprise to hear. Overall, it feels like Exilium Noctis have truly found their sound here. This record appears to be a very strong — if not the strongest — addition to their already interesting discography.
♦ 7/10
Christina X
