"Pestilentia" is the third full-length release from Italian Black Metal band INFERNAL ANGELS. The group has undergone a number of lineup changes since their inception in 2002, with the sole constant being vocalist XeS. The album is full of dark, winding songs rooted in Black Metal with Death Metal-like ferocity.

One thing I can really appreciate is the album's clear production. While many Black Metal bands opt to intentionally under produce their works, the clarity of "Pestilentia" serves the music well while losing little in terms of rawness (or kvlt-ness, or whatever). The songs exude this have a distinctly evil vibe; it's somewhat like early MAYHEM with the production of a present-day IMMORTAL record. Drummer MiD absolutely destroys his kit, and along with XeS's throaty roars and the fast, subtly melodic guitar playing of Manegarmr, the group powers seemingly effortlessly through their songs. They also don't go out of their way to include non-traditional instruments (pianos, horns, etc.), which I find refreshing; I can appreciate musical diversity, but sometimes I feel like a lot of bands add such things just for the sake of it.

"1347" is an ambient-noise intro that gives way quickly to the title track's onslaught of a main riff. It's a pretty straightforward tune, as are the bulk of the songs on "Pestilentia," but the band never sounds like they are merely spinning the wheels, with occasional tempo changes and excellent riffing throughout. The dark groves, dischordant chords and well-timed pick slides of "In The Darkness" are one of the album's highlights, along with the furious "Blood Is Life," the cacophonous and chaotic "Domina Nigra," and the epic, visceral "Carpathians."

"Pestilentia" is full of great moments from start to finish. The band deftly manages to capture the essence of classic Black Metal combined with a modern sensibility, and there isn't a bad track here. Death growls and audible production might not be 'kvlt,' but INFERNAL ANGELS have managed to make a strong Black Metal album their own way. There's no synths, no horns, and no forest imagery just for the sake of it: its no-frills, bone-crushing Metal, period. I would recommend this to fans of bands like IMMORTAL, MAYHEM, and ABSU.