A step up in the career ladder but still raw as hell. This pretty much sums up the next stage of development, or you might call it a standstill, presented on the sophomore album of the Finnish Black Metal band, SATURNIAN MIST. "Chaos Magick", hails as the following occult emblem to the debut "Gnostikoi Ha-Shaitan", paved the band's concrete desecrated road towards Candlelight Records. Digging themselves deeper into the blackened mud of the underworld, SATURNIAN MIST presented a wholesome measure of obscurity, in their own way a kind of diverse musicality even beyond the reaches of the darkened art of extreme Metal and a barrage of evilized rawness that only a 90's influenced band could muster. On the other hand, as old school as it might be, it wasn't that easy to bear witness to the entire offerings bestowed within "Chaos Magick". Maybe too chaotic? No way, but let's see.

Starting with the album's production values, as it is the first thing that one would notice when heading forward after the intro of "612", it would appear that someone wanted to remain devoted to the old tapes of the early days. Listening to these old echoes indulged me to seek out the hazy magic that is lying within them, as I believe that there is always one even if it sounds like a semi tape recording in a rather open basement. Maybe that was the purpose all along other than applying cleaner and much soothing sound scenery. As you might expect the studio values are a rather low, somewhat undone, but the purpose was fulfilled.

Generally, SATURNIAN MIST seemed to have been driven by the sensation of the chants, the pristine markers of the rituals of occultism art form. For Metal listeners that haven't been used to this kind of undertakings such as babble like chants might notice it as a total cacophony, which also might be distributing for the listening experience. The vocalist would lash out with shrieks and screams, possibly tormented or merely shouting in dismay. I have to admit that it didn't help on several cases. The band's level of obscurity in a manner stopped the flow of the tunes thus ending up with mediocre burnt offerings such as "Third Eye Contemplation" and the somber dull "Evoking God".

On the other hand, when it comes to the band's Metal direction, Black Metal as its main flag while also inducing various experimentations with old Hardcore and a few Punkish moves. Pretty admirable I might add, making it even filthier. There are several Thrash distinctions with a rising darkened Death Metal elements as well. Nothing that would assume technical playing, just keeping it hard on, tainted but equally atmospheric. Furthermore, it would be hard to escape those nice fast tremolo picking melodies, even if a little banal at times, that added the songs what those mostly needed which is a whole lot of interest and capturing moments. I would choose the self-titled "Chaos Magick" as my favorite for its melodic attributes and in wayward way fairly catchy and the blackened Thrash / Death Metal assaulter, "The True Law", which showed a true sign of craftiness.

"Chaos Magick" is a solid piece of work, its raw production and relentless musical patterns will have consumed by the band's darkened form. It might become an annoyance for some listeners, but eventually whoever wishes to be with the fold, will rather like this album.