Artist: Sokeus
Country: Finland
Label: Breath Of Pestilence
Formats: CD
Year: 2026
With a number of new releases already in the bag, both with Veitsi and Krucifixion Woods, it’s now time for new material from M.K.’s Sokeus. ‘Ekpyrosis’, released in 2024 by Breath Of Pestilence, was an excellent debut album and a worthy follow-up to the two already impressive demos, ‘Forever Cursed’ (2022) and ‘Immortal Wisdom’ (2022), which were also released together on cassette tape by yours truly in 2025. M.K.’s companion in Sokeus, A.O., is also an active musician in Order Of Deconstruction and the excellent Refulgent Void, but seems to have had a much calmer period than his bandmate. But when they come together as Sokeus, there’s always a certain spark that generates boundless energy.
This certainly holds true for ‘Primordial Sadistic Nature’ as well. And it is perhaps reinforced by the concept, which, unlike its predecessor, seems more inspired by primal forces and raw simplicity than by philosophical ideas of total doom. Not that this doesn’t come across as very benevolent; just listen, for example, to ‘As Gods Stand Over The Ashes Of Humanity,’ where Sokeus sounds more furious than ever before.
In fact, overall ‘Primordial Sadistic Nature’ feels like really living up to its title. It harks back to the more basic principles of Black Metal, established in the late 90s to mid-00s, where misanthropy and malevolence were the basic foundation for virtually all bands. Without being able to claim that ‘Ekpyrosis’ is an open-minded or progressive album, ‘Primordial Sadistic Nature’ just feels another step up (or down, for that matter) when it comes to, well, primordial energy and overall primitivism. On a musical level that means that things have been stripped down even a bit further, to the point where it has become a sort of hybrid of Darkthrone’s most elementary work, with Ildjarn providing the musical arrangement. However, the simple yet catchy melodies remain an essential part of Sokeus’s identity, giving the album a distinct character that can’t be directly compared to others.
That’s not to say it’s ground breaking, but that was clearly never the band’s intention. The pagan leanings and powerful, pulsating energy are what make Sokeus a unique band, not necessarily the sum of its musical elements. ‘Primordial Sadistic Nature’ demonstrates that raw yet well-controlled intensity makes up for just about everything.
