Who knew that such grim darkness could come from one of the sunniest, most beautiful places on planet Earth?  I introduce you to supergroup from Mallorca, Spain, an island famous for its pristine beaches and majestic views that have attracted tourists from all over the world. Indeed, INFERITVMplays spirited Symphonic Black Metal, and is made up of members of the tiny island metal community.  Their mission as they describe it is to bring back the old ways, and play Black Metal as it was first intended, hopefully reviving a scene on Mallorca that will rival those in nearby European and Scandinavian countries.

"The Grimoires"is their third release after 2015's "The Warlock"and an EP the following year.  Four years of preparation have brought upon changes in the band, the loss of founding member, bassist Arye, and the introduction of two members of the local scene, bassist Aghanazzar, and guitarist Lord Insekkton.  With these new influences comes a departure in sound, as they shed most of the Death elements from their previous work.

As stated, this is purely Symphonic Black Metal from front to back, played in the most traditional sense.  Think DIMMU BORGIR's "Spiritual Black Dimensions"or ARCTURUS' "Aspera Hiems Symfonia".  The production seems to be intently dialed in to recreate the early 1990's sound ethics. We're talking Peavey amps and a distinct lack of low end that will have you reaching for the EQ.  The top end is nicely separated, however, as must be the case since there is a lot in the mix competing for territory.  The orchestral parts blend in nicely and are essentially played from the first second to the last on the disc without becoming fatiguing or corny.

Right off the bat, you find yourself thinking a song like"Codex Gigas"would surely benefit from a boost in the bass frequency with its furious blast beats and double kicks, but the songwriting is complex enough that it's still a treat to listen to. Vltra's vocals have that evil Victorian poet vibe that is exactly what you want from this genre. It's not necessarily an exact Shagrathimpersonation, but with the vocal doubling and gargled incantations, the song "Clavicula Salomonis"comes very close to resembling something from the more modern DIMMU catalog. "Malleus Maleficarum" is the soundtrack to a spell casting, while "Goetia of Shadows"is the first song to offer surprises, like some technical Melodic Death Metal riffing and nice textured leads from His Majesty, Lord Insekkton.  "Galdabrok"has a short section up front that shows off the that thin combo amp guitar tone, a wink-and-a-nod to the old ways of the early 1990's.

"Liber Lux Tenebris"is an epic that showcases versatility in vocals, with some moody spoken sections, while "De Occulta Philosophia"is curiously louder than everything on the album to this point.  It's a seven-minute track that hits with a thunderclap when compared with the following "La Poule Noire",which again returns to a thin, but clear, production.  That track contains some nice prog elements with Barg's drumming coming to the forefront during a melodic interlude section, a rare moment when Aghanazzar's bass lines cut through the mix. The last two tracks "De Praestigiis Daemonum"and "De Umbrarum Regni"return again to a brickwalled sound, with some heavy bass lines present and some superb epic Symphonic melodies.

You can tell a great care was taken on this album to capture that cinematic feeling that the best in this genre gives you, an element that draws comparisons to bands like OLD MAN'S CHILDor OPERA IX, who tend to take a moment to set the scene rather than overwhelm with blast beats and chaos.  Aside from some production that, even if going for a 1990's aesthetic, doesn't quite hit the mark, this a very good album from a place that I couldn't even imagine a band like this would be hiding.  I think I have a new idea for my next vacation!<