Old Metal genres evolved as time passed by, but an interesting feature of the past 15-20 years is the coexistence of older ways with younger ones. In general, older bands keep things as they did since their early days (obviously learning some new lessons). In extreme Metal genres, such things are clearer, especially when a band has more than 20 years career on its shoulders, what’s the case of the North American quartet SATHANAS, active since 1988, and here coming again with its 12th full-length, “Into the Nocturne”.

They’re active for almost 40 years, so their ways into Metal can be described as Old School Thrash/Black Metal, Old School Blackened Thrash/Death Metal Old School Blackened Death Metal or any other way into these, but always with a clear Old School orientation. It means that they evade fast tempos at speed of light, extreme brutal outfit and others. As references, people can have the older works of acts as SODOM (from “In the Sign of Evil” and “Obsessed by Cruelty” days), DESTRUCTION (on their age between “Sentence of Death” and “Eternal Devastation”), SLAYER (from their beginning until “Hell Awaits”), BATHORY on its Black Metal age, VENOM, POSSESSED and others. But these names are mere references, because SATHANAS has a clear personality shown on its songs, with an amazing energy, showing that they still have lessons to teach to younger bands.

As usual, the sonority of “Into the Nocturne” is abrasive, dirty and in an Old School trend. It is to bring an organic feeling to the album (a feature important to their music), but as always: they seem to have recorded things in the most handmade way possible, and used modern technologies just to mix and master the songs (it could be cleaner, but’s fine). And in a very usual feature, the Old School artwork created by Thiti Somboonanek (singer of LACERATE and ZYGOATSIS, and a graphic artist that did works for BLACK WITCHERY, STRANGULATION, SARINVOMIT, ABIGAIL, DEIPHAGO, IMPIETY, FLAGELADÖR, BESTIAL HOLOCAUST and many others) is presented in different colors in the album’s versions (CD, LP and digital).

The band’s musical work shown on “Beyond the Witch” (brutal and oppressive, but in an Old School Thrash/Black Metal way, with very good shrieks and snarls of the vocals), “To Bring the Sabbat”, “Arise from Fire” (very good double bass parts heard on the drums, and solid bass playing on this fast and impacting song), “Cast in Black” (many extreme Old School Metal hooks can be heard here), “Furious Damnatum” (some traces of Punk Rock can be heard on this one), “Raise the Chalice”, “There Will Be Demons” (wow, very catching guitar parts can be heard on this slow paced song), “Tyrants of the Southern Cross” (very good rhythmic contrasts can be heard on this one), “Reaperlord” and “Where Death and Darkness Entwine” depicts as they grew older without losing their darkened musical grasp. And for those who love to collect items, the jewel case CD version of “Into the Nocturne” brings a bonus track, “Damnation”, the Digipack one brings “Exorcism”, and the vinyl one has “Armies of Charon”.

As final words, it’s good to see these veterans still active, so praise SATHANAS and listen to “Into the Nocturne”. It’s an addiction for Old School Metal fans for sure!