Artist: De Vermis Mysteriis
Country: Belgium
Label: Altare Productions
Formats: CD
Year: 2026
By the time that you read this review, the main actor in this story, De Vermis Mysteriis, is no more. Now I know I’m a bit of a slow writer, but in this case the demise of the Belgian band was already planned well ahead of time. The band had existed since 2012 and was part of a collective of bands that called themselves Ordo Omegae Absolutae. Indeed, a glance upon the discography of De Vermis Mysteriis shows their tight connection, perhaps best represented in a 5-way split with Morkenatten, Necrosophia, Odibilis Signatus, and Sepulchrum from 2016 that combines all the bands of the order. But also, their earlier split with Morkenatten highlights the importance of that union. Together with the ‘Exercitationes Pisces-Virgo MMXIII’ demo from 2014, these three releases made up the D.V.M. discography for the better part of their career. But that was not yet the end. For the past 10 years De Vermis Mysteriis has been brooding on their first and final full-length album, and that was finally released on the last day of July 2026 on Altare Productions.
That the band would not go out without giving it their all is clear from the over 55 minutes that have been gathered on ‘The Faceless Labyrinth of Interstellar Madness’. Since their earliest work, De Vermis Mysteriis had already chosen the Swedish Black Metal scene as a point of their affection, and in particular the tremolo-melody laden approach was already there on the demo material. That seamlessly continues on the band’s full-length, a connection that is not at all surprising, as ‘Strange Aeons Pt. II: Draining the Arteries of Time’, ‘Spectres of the Inner Seals’, ‘Tentacles from Out of the Ooze and ‘From a Loss of Identity’ are tracks that were previously recorded and have been reworked and re-recorded for the album. Obviously, the band learned and matured a lot since their earlier days, and the sound shifted slightly. The orthodox atmosphere, the meandering melodic tremolo-picking leads and also the hoarse shrieks of Matavitatau vocalist Θ, who has provided his talents on this album, makes comparison rather clear. The swansong of the band sounds decidedly like Ondskapt and Watain (and in extension Ofermod) and I would probably describe it as the spiritual marriage of ‘Dödens Evangelium’ with the post-’Sworn to the Dark’ albums.
‘The Faceless Labyrinth of Interstellar Madness’ is less harsh than (might I add, the rather brilliant) ‘Dödens Evangelium’ or does not reach the vile aura of (the equally amazing) ‘Casus Luciferi’, but instead present a more melodic, diverse and ritualistic soundscape. Interesting enough it does have a similar guitar tone as those albums, which is certainly a nice bonus, and I have to say I like the more melodic focus quite a bit more than later Watain albums. It kind of reminds me of the earlier Mörk Gryning albums, which again is a good thing. For the most part I admit, as for instance ‘From a Loss of Identity’ is a little bit too tame for me and I personally find 55 minutes too much for a Black Metal record. But credit where it’s due. While it may not be on the level of ‘Dödens Evangelium’, it certainly does a great job coming close. The melodies are strong and catchy, the vocals are diverse and spirited and the atmosphere is captivating. In other words, it’s an album that feels worth the emotional charge of fourteen years of band existence culminating in one final statement. It makes the first and last De Vermis Mysteriis album is both one to cherish and to be proud of.
