ALBUM REVIEW: Satan – Cruel Magic

This review is of the legendary NWOBHM band SATAN with their new album “Cruel Magic” released on Metal Blade Records. Seeing such a classic band return with new material is always exciting, let us see what the old timers have in store for us!

1. Into The Mouth Of Eternity opens in true NWOBHM fashion with soaring lead guitar work atop built up rhythm sections and a really slow burn feel. The speed soon fires into action with some really awesome tremolo riffing, fast paced drums and a killer thrashy feel to it. The groovy riffs pack a classic Satan style punch and when joined by the vocals it just feels great to have the band back. The catchy verses are just epic and I already feel myself being hit by both incredible music and classic Metal nostalgia. The guitar leads are really melodic and minimalist yet add a brilliant flourish to the song, with the bluesy bass and rhythm sections really grooving out over juddering old school drums as the vocals really drill into the mix perfectly. The punky guitar solo sounds killer with some awesome shreds in for good balance too and finally some gorgeous harmonies. Loved this, excellent opening track from such legends!
2. Cruel Magic has a strange merging of slower chords and galloping sections which sound really cool and unique together. There is a more southern feel to this track (and the first for that matter) than the average Satan material. The typical Satan hooks are ever present and I am glad of it, this album wouldn’t feel right without them. The drums on this piece are absolute perfection both tonally and in timing. The more laid back guitar leads are just so damn rock n roll, love how it leads into some more soulful sections too. Another brilliant track!
3. The Doomsday Clock opens with some pretty relaxing acoustic guitar work, leading into melodic and flamboyant riffing madness once again. The upbeat feel of the band is always so pleasant to listen to, this song being no exception. Guitarists will be pleased to hear some really flashy riffs that are bound to get stuck in your head! Amazing solos, grinding bass and in your face drums, this song is a classic Heavy Metal hitter, feeling like it was torn right from the late 70s. Glorious!
4. Legions Hellbound is heavier from the very off than the other 3 songs so far with its speeds set higher, blasting drums (not full on blast beats but certainly punchier), there is a crawling groove that pleasantly coasts through the piece nicely. About 1/3 of the way in the song seems to almost depreciate into a ballad without warning, it’s a really interesting touch with some incredibly heartfelt guitar and beautiful instrumentation going on. The song builds to a shred fuelled and upbeat climax with an epic feel glowing ever brighter.
5. Ophidian creeps and crawls in a really eerie fashion, it’s a punchy song with a really dark vibe to it in comparison to the others. The lyrics are incredible too! There is a slight dysphoria to the track, but in a really cool way, something almost Megadeth like to that I think, it even seems to effect the lead guitar work. A really great little change in style to break up the more joyful rhythms of the album.
6. My Prophetic Soul brings the upbeat and sheerly joyful stylings of the band back with full force. I absolutely love the guitar and bass tones on here and the drums are furious! Epic and powerful vocals join us giving the song a soaring and gallant feel to it. This song is one of the catchiest I think I have heard from the band and that lead guitar riff is heavenly (or hellish, if that can be used as a complement). Amazing work!
7. Death Knell For A King has a really headbang inducing groove, beautifully played drums and some damn catchy riffs (yet again), the huge atmosphere of song is set with the slower parts adding to the charisma and build of the track individually and in turn the album itself. This is the kind of song I can already envision people chanting along to the title line live, now I just hope to be seeing Satan live again soon.
8. Who Among Us has a much more melancholy feel with the clean guitars, depressive yet profound lyrics and a true feeling like something glorious is coming into play. The song builds into euphoric classic Metal mania and just so much great songwriting is present. I am finding it difficult to express how much I am enjoying this release without recycling any phrasing as everything is so consistently enjoyable I am trying to keep up. The huge builds and drops into cleaner parts with soulful leads work perfectly before reclaiming more heavy and storming soundscapes with shredding and maddeningly powerful music once more! Beautifully done.
9. Ghosts Of Monogah chugs into existence feeling more like a Thrash Metal song than anything. The brilliant guitar work is something I cannot seem to forget, maybe due to the band refusing to let me. I am not saying it is overused at all, brilliant skills must be shown and this band all have great talent. This song is really packing more of a punch with its dual guitar melodies, cascading riffs and driven drums. The is a slight progressive edge to the track, although nothing pretentious that really beefs it up. Probably my favourite of the album, but I am sure to change around between such a great selection.
10. Mortality has the difficult task of closing such a killer album. It takes the slow burn approach mixing both clean and distorted guitars very nicely in a sort of call and response fashion. The sludgier and more sombre feel of the track works graciously in a closing number, almost as if the album is taking a bow out to an appropriate ending. The song still packs in some great verses and brilliant chorus, killer guitar and bass work and very well placed drumming. One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the album has had consistently awesome, really old school sounding tight production. Brilliant work!

This album is some killer new and unique material from a band but with it following on from their previous albums so fluidly it almost feels like yesterday they released the last 2 albums. A most welcome return and one totally worth the wait. -9/10