Ipsissimus - The Way of Descent

Ipsissimus' full length debut on Metal Blade records is successful in a number of ways, but one of the main factors in it being a solid record is that much of the riffing is a solid mixture between the more technical US style and the ethereal beauty of its Scandinavian counterparts. The albums opener, "The First Secret of Fatima" appropriately sets the tone for this album, with a guttural scream over some fantastic riffing by axeslinger, His Emissary. To be level, there is nothing too unorthodox about Ipsissimus' approach to black metal, but in a way that's sort of the beauty of it: why mess with what works? The band knows what they're doing and they do it extremely well. That's not to say that this record is for the lowest common denominator of metal fan: they'll enjoy it as well, but for the more cerebral metal fan, there are lyrics in Coptic (!) and quite a bit to absorb in the sounds of the record. Every song bears repeated listens for catching a new part of a riff you didn't notice before or even simply for appreciating drummer Haimatokharmes' furious blasts and excellent cymbal work. The album may also take a few listens to get into, for people who have never heard the band before their sound can almost be a bit overwhelming, especially because of the prowess of Tichondrius’ vocals. It’s worth the effort however, as their sound eventually puts you in a trance-like state.

The Way of Descent has three tracks re-recorded from the original Three Secrets of Fatima EP, as well as a few new tracks previewing the direction in which Ipsissimus is going. These guys are definitely a band worth keeping an eye on, their record has barely left my player/ipod etc since I acquired it. It’s available via Metal Blade records or likely any record shop that carries metal near you.