Portugal based Black Metallers LUX FERRE are a band that have a tendency to take their time with full length records, but when they do release them, it's a something worth checking out. Six years since the release of their last full length, they are back with their third offering, "Excaecatio Lux Veritatis", an album that builds upon the strengths of its predecessor, resulting in one of their most versatile and appealing releases to date.

"A Luz Ofuscante da Verdade" opens this album with a strong, ambient opening which gives way to some really dark, icy sounding Black Metal. The music sounds tight, with plenty of great, razor sharp guitar lines, coupled with equally grim, acerbic vocals which match the music perfectly. The drums sound particularly vicious, and they really drive the sound of the whole track at some points. "Nao Ha Salvacao" sounds really full and powerful from the first note to the last. The thick guitar lines are played with confidently, and the delivery of the vocals really draws the listener in. It builds lots of momentum and sets a benchmark for the rest of the album.

"A Lenta Adaga de Morte" combines slow, eerie, dirge-like riffs with forceful, rhythmic drums to create something that sounds great. It's got a noticeable raw edge to it that really works with the music, some great dissonant touches that really feed into the overall aura of this song, and it stands out significantly from many of the other songs on the record. This has the potential to become the cornerstone of their repertoire in the future. The records fourth offering, "Caos no Meu Sangue", is a fierce piece of music, coupled with some equally vicious sounding vocals. It's straight forward, no thrills Black Metal with juggernaut drumming and tight, imaginative riffs, and although it is the shortest track on the record, it's certainly one of the most memorable tracks available on the album.

"Cancao da Loucura" is built around a slow, eerie riff that gradually gains momentum, quickly becoming much more aggressive than its opening notes suggest it could end up being. The final notes of this opus lead seamlessly into the following track, "Miseria", a song that sounds absolutely monolithic, and, as the name might imply, miserable. It's a dark, brooding piece of music centred around minor chords and cold, acidic vocals. It's depressive, with an underlying violence, and the end result sounds amazing. Penultimate tracks are usually the point on the record where the music reaches its zenith, bringing the album to a climatic moment before the final track on the record.

And in this regard, "Mundo das Sombras" lives up to the ideal of a great second to last song. The guitars sound massive, the drumming beefs out the already substantial sound, and the vocals soar over the top of it all in what is easily one of the best performances on the whole album. This sets the listener up nicely for the last track, "Sob o Veu de Ignorancia". This is another great piece of straight forward, dissonant Black Metal with a raw edge. The music sounds great on all fronts, and this is a great way to close the record.

Whatever this band does next, it is going to be very hard for them to top a record like this. There are very few faults that can be picked out of it, and the ones that can be are so small and insignificant that they are rendered obsolete. The music is almost universally brilliant, shrouded in atmospherics and brimming with excellent musical ideas. This might very well be their magnum opus.