Alcatraz Line up: 2018, 2024

Few bands from the first generation of black metal bands that shocked the world in the early 90s have survived the ages. Some folded, others lost personnel in tragic circumstances. For Satyr and Frost, the backbone of Norwegian black metal gods Satyricon, the music has always been the main focus. The authors of such landmark albums as ‘Nemesis Divina’ (1996) and ‘Now, Diabolical’ (2006) are still going strong, even though over time their music has drifted into the post black realm. More aggressive than 2013’s self-titled ‘Satyricon’, ‘Deep Calleth upon Deep’ (2017) also illustrates how much Satyricon like to experiment. Most tracks are immediately recognisable but just beneath the surface there is more than enough variation to keep the attention going. The tunes are still stripped down to the bare essence, with death ‘n’ roll, post black and other influences galore. Their love of experimentation also shone through in the music they created for their exhibition at the Munchmuseet in Oslo, viz. ‘Satyricon & Munch’ (2022). Meanwhile ‘Deep Calleth upon Deep’ remains their last album to date but who knows, perhaps by next summer…?