Cerimonial Sacred - Our War is Only Against Hell

Ok, I must admit...I wasn't expecting much with this band.  To be completely and brutally honest, a good amount of the metal that comes out of Brazil just doesn't really compare with metal from other countries.  Maybe it's a money thing, maybe it's a talent thing, but many of the releases suffer from bad ideas and even worse production.  I will say that there are some exceptions to this rule.  There have also been some decent bands release some albums lately that show some promise.  But still, the majority is not worth your time if you care about the quality of your metal. 

So, with that being said (and with all apologies to those Brazilian metal fans that I just offended), I offer my take on this new disc by Cerimonial Sacred.  If you are looking for bands that show that "promise" I talked about earlier, than this is certainly one of those bands that you should check out.  Cerimonial Sacred plays a very good style of atmospheric black metal that should appeal to fans of Dimmu Borgir, Vaakevandring, and early Crimson Moonlight.  Notice I named Scandinavian bands there?  This is not your typical Brazilian black metal.  This album definitely has more of that Scandinavian feel that I love...that cold, harsh feel that seems so hard for bands outside of that area to replicate.  While this isn't the best example the genre has to offer, this is a solid disc that offers some good songs with surprisingly good production.  The lyrics, while in English, are a little bit difficult to follow.  It's obvious by the choppy style that English is not their first language.  But really, it does nothing to detract from the album since they sing with blackish vocals that you can't understand anyway.

If you've been hesitant in the past to spend your money on Brazilian metal, this is one of those releases that could help rebuild that confidence.

Rating: 75/100

Review By: Matt Morrow

Label: Extreme Records

Total Songs: 8

Total Time: 30:10

Tracklisting: 1. In My Cold Cell, 2. Tears of a Christian Hero, 3. Blood Storm, 4. My Dead Feelings, 5. A Song for the Immortals, 6. Religious Crematory, 7. To Find the King, 8. The Hell will not to Prevail.

Best Songs: Tracks 5, 6, & 8

Band Lineup: Lord Melancton Samengallef & Arclord Abisai Darkaliel.

Band Website:  http://www.cerimonialsacred.com