There are some combinations that are just meant to be-peanut butter and chocolate, beer and pizza, horror and Metal. DARK SORCERER lives at the nexus of the horror and Metal bringing the best of them together to make pulse thrumming music in the form of ultra-short EPs. This Blackened Thrash foursome hails from Front Royal, Virginia in the US. They formed in or before 2019 and have two EPs to their name: "Pure Act Of Sorcery" (Sept. 2019) and ". . . From The Emerald Tablet" (April 2020). Although the latter times out at under seven minutes, it's a blast to listen to and you're likely to run it through a few hundred rotations before you tire of it.

Each track begins with a spoken word intro that sound like they were lifted from a 1970 horror film but are actually readings from Robert E. Howard's 1931 poem of horror and madness, "The Song Of A Mad Minstrel." While these lines come from a single source, it'd be a stretch to suggest the four songs they preface tell a single narrative. They're certainly related by theme-dark ritualistic sorcery-but don't expect an epic tale with a twisting plot that reveals deep philosophical insights. This is essentially Thrash Metal but instead of politics or social commentary, its spooky evil shit. And it is awesome.

The longest track is just over two minutes, and that's including the spoken word bit. They come at you like a shotgun blast through a briar patch-flesh ripping thorns, searing metal, and a punch like a . . . well, like a shotgun. The band is fairly straightforward outfit with one bass, one guitar, one kit, one vocalist. They don't do guitar solos, they don't do symphonic harmonies just kick ass riffs, fist pumping chants, guttural vocals, and drums that have more bpm than a hand full a ball bearings set lose in a garbage disposal.

Best tracks? Did I mention the whole EP is less than seven minutes? That's shorter than a typical Doom Metal song. All the songs are good. They have to be. I mean, otherwise, what's the point with a six-minute EP? This whole EP is brilliant from the first word of the first cheesy narration to the final riveting chord. I guess I should also mention the production values are surprisingly good as well. No one's hiding behind a wall of lo-fi static here. And, btw, "Pure Act Of Sorcery" is incredible as well. So buy them both.