From Bandcamp, “Without lacking on their musical trademarks, SERVANT continues to evolve on their new record. Melodic guitars combine with furious drums, powerful basslines go with keys and mighty grooves. On “Death Devil Magick,” the vocals are more clear than on the previous two albums, to give the words the required power in meaning. All this is put in a powerful soundscape which is aggressive, yet very dynamic and tidied up.” The album has nine songs. “Void” is first, and it’s a short, mood-setting instrumental. The mood is very somber, and the band plays the chords with a controlled haste. “Temple” explodes with a thickened riff, heavy bass notes, and vocal screams. Smoke fills the air nearly completely, choking the listener, but it’s not a totally chaotic affair. The band slows and pushes the gas a few times throughout, showing their control. “Sin” is also an incredibly thick and fast song that the band reels back at just the right time, making the faster passages more memorable. Keyboards add a distinct depth to the song, as do classically influences passages.

“Devil” has a more steady and evil sound. Again, their penchant for controlling a sound that careens off the track headed for disaster is one of the best thing that they do. “Hope” is an interesting title, because I hear the last shred that is left headed right out the window and into the winds. It hangs around long enough just to make you think it might be there when you need it, but when you reach out, it is gone. “Fury” is a warning that a hurricane is coming, and when it reaches land, it slams into the coast in an obliterating path. But even against the howling winds there are still element of melody present. “Death” seems very decided and final according to the sound, but this isn’t a quick end, but rather one that is drawn out and bloody. It has dark and sinister tones, and spends much of the song deep into the abyss. “Litany” goes into full attack mode, with a barrage of drums and guitars and vocal screams. The drums move at lightning speed and somehow the riff keep pace. There are also somber tones, building a complicated but accessible sound.

“Magick” closes the album, and it feels like dark magic to me…the kind that you would only catch a glimpse of behind a darkened shade in the middle of the night. Bass notes thump hard and the riffs are cloudy. You get the feeling something big is just around the corner, and the ending piano notes speak of loss. This was a fantastic, multi-dimensional album that utilized many of the traditional elements of the genre along with incorporating a fresh, modern edge to Black Metal. As I mentioned above, besides their strong musicianship, the best thing that the band does on the album is controlling the nuclear bomb that is about to explode in their hands and setting its course to their will.