In the beginning, due the strong influence of VENOM on the extreme Metal scene in the early days of the 80's, many Thrash Metal and Black Metal acts used satanic themes on their lyrics. As time passed by, things were changing, and both genres preferred to have another matters to deal in the lyrics. But even today, some Death Metal acts prefer to use a darkened approach on the lyrics, one of them is SACRILEGA, a North American trio hailing from California, and is releasing its first album, "The Arcane Spear".

They use a form of Death Metal that gathers influences from Black Metal and Thrash Metal. But even if one could call the music the band plays as Old School Metal (due some clear influences of SLAYER, CELTIC FROST and SODOM in their early releases), there are some touches that link the band's work to the present. It's brutal and massive, aggressive and nasty, but done with care in the musical arrangements, and it's filled with a massive energy. It's really very good to hear their music! To sound brutal and nasty, the band worked on studio in a form that keeps the sonority crude and organic, but making things in a defined way. Maybe the core of such result is based on the sets of instrumental tunes used, while the recordings, mixing and mastering were done in a modern way.

The album really has its charm, seducing the extreme Metal fans in the early auditions. But "The Arcana Spear" (a brutal Black/Death Metal with 80's Metal influences, but what solid rhythmic basis created by bass guitar and drums), "Tower of Suppression" (filled with many somber slow moments that creates a funereal ambience, and what very good set of guitar riffs), "Rites of Macabre" and "Entre Sangre & Veneno" (both show contrasts between morbid parts and fast drumming is great, but the vocals are in great shape), and "A Vision Glorified in Fire" are right ones for a formal introduction to the band's work. "The Arcana Spear" is really a very good release, and it states that SACRILEGA came to stay. And it really shows that they deserve to be in the same team as bands such as UADA and CEREMONIAL CASTINGS.