Artist: Consummatio
Country: Portugal
Label: Altare Productions
Formats: LP
Year: 2025
‘Circulus’ is the follow-up recording of ‘Desaevio’, Consummatio’s debut album from 2022. If you happen to have heard that debut record, released on cassette tape and vinyl by Death Prayer Records and Black Gangrene Productions respectively, you might have experienced the same feeling of surprise that I had. The anonymous band came literally out of nowhere and struck with an impressive piece of raw and repetitive Black Metal. Maybe not archetypical for what Portuguese Black Metal got known for, but it definitely is not surprising they come from that country with one of the most intriguing and mysterious Black Metal scenes.
Just like its predecessor, ‘Circulus’ is a pure exercise of hypnotic Black Metal that is clearly built on all the cornerstones of the Second Wave of Black Metal. Yet, while the Scandinavian countries had mostly relied on either or both melodicism and a pagan-vibe and the North American bands for the most part had a bleak and depressive going on, Consummatio seems to take inspiration from both at the same time. The result is predominantly fast paced Black Metal, brimming with tremolo melodies and an overall repetitive and melancholic atmosphere. The vocals, yearning with despair, add much to the sombre feeling, giving the whole thing a thorough late 90’s and early 00’s connotation.
Perhaps Consummatio is not the most original band out there and it is therefore a bit harder to label this as really essential, but it is the way the band presents their take on the Black Metal genre that is quite stunning. Without pushing any boundaries or the feeling apparent need to reinvent any wheels, Consummatio clearly put all their effort, energy, love and passion into the execution of what definitely has become a wonderful record!
