With all due respect to what is considered second wave Black Metal, the first wave, which originated in the early 80s, appears to be slowly revamping, finding its way back to its true darkened magic to take the throne by storm. In the last couple years, we had a new shout from KING DIAMOND / MERCYFUL FATE driven bands, a new album from the Swedish PORTRAIT and a debut stellar release from the American horror supergroup, THEM. I asked myself, where the hell are those German ATTIC to join the fun? After the pleasure I had with their debut "The Invocation" five years ago, I hoped that they weren't disbanded. Gladly, sometime ago I started receiving reports of their newly recorded blackened conceptual cinema "Sanctimonious", released once again via Van Records. Another proof that Satanism has its delicate angles with its compelling chants.

Adamantly preserving their style of music and their motivation to do honors to the mystic side of Metal, ATTIC found a solid stance with "Sanctimonious". At first, it was not that easy to bear in mind that there is a story at hand, a horrific epos that takes a go against Christianity to be rid right into the maw of the underworld. In a sense, it is a kind of spiritual, especially with the overall atmosphere created throughout the songs. Whether the Hammond organ or vocalist Meister Cagliostro generated acoustical howls, those all play an integral part to complete a fine illustration. And the music, simply yet another reason to adore the early 80s of Black Metal, such an empowering ambience that sadly isn't quite common in Metal albums nowadays. The guitar work is simply exceptional, immensely melodic, haunting, determined to maintain harmony on nearly every path the music takes. Once again, the duo Katte and Rob embodied their fascination with the old wave to the point of excelling it. Always composite and tight, the rhythm section may drive you mad, leading each song into new horizons.

As the instrumentation proves that the general idea might be 80s driven but with a clear manner of complexity, the songwriting follows that same direction. However, even with the divergent song sections, ATTIC, similar to the debut, were able to find the connecting dots to create another set of hits that would eventually seize control of your mind. "Die Engelmacherin" shares the profound melodies rejoiced with a foggy atmosphere, a mesmerizing sensation of the band's perception of a horror story. In a way, sometimes at least, it felt like one of the later HELSTAR songs. "A Serpent in the Pulpit" displays early 80s MERCYFUL FATE, a haunting track with amazing guitar riffs, actually the best riffs on the album and a determine vocal performance. "The Hounds Of Heaven" raising the aggressiveness to the table in comparison to other tracks on the list, nonetheless, it keeps the soothing lead guitar hooks that sound richer. On "On Choir Stalls" it keeps getting better and better. The epos is closer to its end with an eerie chapter, the music engulfs and the melodies embrace. "There Is No God" forwards the cinematic ending, an exhilarating show of fury with melodic intensity, storming with elements portrayed within the second wave of Black Metal, I couldn't expect anything less when it comes to properly end a mystified tale.

Still on a roll, and it is only a matter of time until they will be esteemed as their predecessors. "Sanctimonious" is a Black Metal craft that should be experienced over and over. Simply the band's best work to date.