From what was once the biggest all-female black metal trio in all of Greece and probably the world, Astarte returns one last time with a unfortunately deteriorating lineup to produce their final opus "Blackdemonium." The band has been kvlt'ing and producing black metal since the late 90's, and with the depressing death of vocalist Tristessa back in 2014, the group has been utilizing session musicians and former members to deliver their final album. This climax of a band's career is surely a sentimental moment for them and their fans, so without further ado, a somber black metal journey awaits.

"Blackdemonium" (album title and song titles stylized in capital letters) features vocals from the late Tristessa, mixed and mastered by other band members and family members, from what I'm aware of. There's been many a lineup change so it's a bit hard to trace down the exact member list. After the prelude "Intrandoom," the first two singles come. "Blackdemonium" is a bitter track, with biting, ghostly vocals and a melodic chorus filled with the intense drumming key to black metal. A cold atmosphere is escaping from this song. This self-titled track is also has a lyric video up to sink into. The second single, "Monolith," sadly uses artificial intelligence in it's visualizer. Some surprising death metal vocals appear, making this track as a black/death fusion track. This isn't the only time influences of death or thrash metal will make it into the album, as to mark a final release, many musical strings were pulled to amp up the fierceness. A dark duo of singles  for sure, and while I like the death metal elements, the first single triumphs.

"War" is a composition of impressively technical skill, with firing drums that certainly sound like sounds of a battlefield. The riffs are great, and the death metal vocals return, presumably not by our regular vocalist, but you never know nowadays. Devilish spoken word and some dense gutturals wrap up the bulk of this track. An admirable combination of two major metal genres that other bands could take inspiration from. The drums get a bit ridiculous near the end, but it's all in the name of music. "Darkness (Will Rise)" has some of the best guitar work so far, as the chuggy beginning and the profecient solos just radiate the aesthetic of the good kind of modern black metal. I've noticed the songs I enjoy the most are the ones stripped of any death metal effect. I like my black metal black and my death metal death. "Godkill" dips its feet into other styles again, and it's somehow the longest song at four minutes. The album length was a topic I wanted to mention, as for your last album as a group, why limit yourself to thirty minutes? Astarte seemed to go all-out on everything except album length. While I'm over here complaining about how long the album is, I'm noticing the simply hate-filled delivery from Tristessa. She really encapsulates the aesthetic of the genre. "Cursed" gets chunky with riffs, so you know it's another death-infected song. "Exiled" may be my favorite track of the project due to it's melodies being paired with outside influence and manic drumming I've become used to. The LP ends off on another fusion-filled banger by the name of "Amon Ra." Epic clean vocals create an even dimmer atmosphere, which I didn't think was possible until I heard them. More mind-blowing drumming and riffing later, and it seems like Astarte has ended their career on a high note.

The backstory. The history. The tragedy. "Blackdemonium" is a sure-fire product of it all. The album blends melodic black metal with death metal smoothly, creating a cold, dreary sensation only something good black metal does. I'm glad Astarte was able to produce this album with what's left of the original band, as this is one hell of a tribute. While this may not be an album I ever really go back to, I appreciated the time I had with it, and R.I.P. Tristessa.