Faustian Pact - Outojen Tornien Varjoissa (2020)

Delivering a healthy dose of retro 90’s Melodic Black Metal, today we have Finnish outfit Faustian Pact and their debut full-length release “Outojen Tornien Varjoissa”. Like stepping into a time capsule, the band’s sound has a raw and simple BM core that is complemented by playful and simple keyboards and a melodic vibe similar to early Tartaros, Limbonic Art and similar outfits. For over 44 minutes the listener will be treated to 10 excellent tracks that combine all kinds of atmospheric elements and vocal styles to create a very unique retro experience.

Leading with the trippy “Saastainen Valo Lintutornissa” we get a very basic BM foundation perfectly adorned with gaudy keyboards and solemn female vocals. There is a certain Eisregen-esque vibe to the band’s music that allows it to be depressive, harsh, and very effective in crawling under your skin. The rawness of the band’s sound is quite intoxicating, as songs like “Myytti Am'Khollenin Kuninkaasta” and “Rauniopuhetta” have that old-school vibe of being recorded in a lo-fi setting.

Our favorite track in this release has to be the lush “Kuulas Musta Aika” and its playful pace and combination of dreamy female vocals, harsh shrieks and dramatic atmospherics. It is no surprise that V-Khaoz from Vargrav is handling the keys on this release. For those purists of the genre, tracks like “Keihäsrinta” majestically balance a ravaging BM core with incisive rifs and crafty drumming, while having that little extra dramatic keyboards thrown into the mix.

Perfectly capturing that romantic/folky old-school nostalgia on their sound, the band does not fuck around when it come to deliver blistering passages and serious BM onslaughts, as we can hear in “Yön Viittojen Saleissa” and the closer “Viimeisen Tyrannin Silmä”. Overall, “Outojen Tornien Varjoissa” is one hell of a retro release that should nicely sit next to your Vargrav and old Limbonic Art CD’s. If you like simple and yet very atmospheric BM, you can not afford to miss this one.

Label: Werewolf Records

Release: February 14th, 2020

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Finland