"De Vermis Mysteriis" is the second full-length album from the German band, BAXAXAXA. It will be released on September 1st, 2023 on the record label,  The Sinister Flame. They play a spooky, groove-oriented style of black metal with occult and blasphemous themes. The opener, "Seed Of Golgotha," begins with a chamber music piece on keyboard. The hook slowly materializes and has the catchiness of some of SATYRICON's best work. My interest was piqued when I first heard the track kick in. Traumatic and Irrwycht's vocals are both clean and raspy, utilizing both styles effortlessly. There are a couple of spoken parts that don't work as well as intended, but that's only a minor issue.

The following track, "De Vermis Mysteriis," is a banger. The hook is infectious and the chorus of "Ia ia baxaxaxaxaxaxa" is an earworm. I've been singing that part in my head for the past two weeks leading up to this review. The keyboard parts sound a little bit awkward, but the great riffs and overall songwriting are good enough to make up for that minor shortcoming. This is my favorite track. "Awaken, The Old Thing In The Ground" has a doom metal feel, with its slow, heavy riffing. This one is lots of fun. Irrwycht's backing vocals are invaluable during the chorus. The entire song plays out like a demon-summoning ritual, which is an occult metal trope. In this case, it is well-utilized. It could do without some of the drawn-out raspy cries. They cheapen the effect and make the track feel bloated.

The closing track, "Necrolatory Libation," is a ten-and-a-half-minute opus that suffers from some serious pacing issues. It's the audio equivalent of the proverbial meeting that could have been an email. I love the frequent use of guitar triplets and thunderous drumming, but there are just too many parts where not much happens. My short attention span just can't abide that. Overall, "De Vermis Mysteriis," is an enjoyable album. It peaks too early, but when they're on, they're on fire. The title track is a perfect example. Every track has its share of high and low points, but that won't stop me from recommending people listen to it at least once.