BAXAXAXA
BAXAXAXA “De Vermis Mysteriis”
By Dr. Abner Mality
“De Vermis Mysteriis” was the nefarious grimoire of old Von Junzt, a mad occultist of ancient times who delved into forbidden lore and Cthuluean enigmas. He might have appreciated the ancient black metal of BAXAXAXA...for sure he would have used their name to bring forth some arcane monstrosity.
This band makes great emphasis on rejecting all modern sounds and indeed, this is a trip back to the murkiness of first wave black metal. There is very little “Norse” sounding here, although fans of DARKTHRONE would sure appreciate it. Nope, this is a trip up the darkened alley where names like BATHORY, HELLHAMMER and VENOM wait to slit your throat. They don’t overthink things and keep their approach simple and direct. In fact, first track “Seed of Golgotha” owes as much to punk rock as it does to black metal. The vocals are nasty, but not over the top ripped throat troll shrieks like most modern BM. They are sinister but comprehensible.
The songs are basic but varied. “Kiss of Shame” sounds like an out-take from BATHORY’s “The Return”...as primitive and murky as it gets. “Awaken, the Old Thing In the Ground” is a grim, doom-laden trudge through deep catacombs; “Above the Stellar Gateway” is quite epic and throws a lot of FROSTy riffs at you; “Decarnation Monument” is a graveyard synth incantation that really does seem eerie.
It all wraps up with the long, dark tunnel that is “Necrolatry Libation”, a final declaration of “piss off” to overproduced and overmelodic black metal of the modern age. I can’t say BAXAXAXA is as great as the old school bands that inspire them, but if you like hooded figures waving torches around in cryptic catacombs, this is a band for you.