Artist: Wampyric Rites
Country: Ecuador
Label: Inferna Profundus Records
Formats: 12″ EP / Cassette EP / CD EP
Year: 2024
Since Wampyric Rites’ latest effort, the ‘The Rites Of The Vampire Inscriptions’-EP from 2023, the band again expanded from a duo to a full band consisting out of four members. In the past the band had some changes in personnel, but the most recent left the Wampyric Rites as a duo. Maybe it is because of that turbulent line-up situation that 2024 went by remarkably quiet for the otherwise very prolific band. But whatever the reasons, it was at the very end of 2024 that Wampyric Rites returned with this 30-minute new EP.
That the band still appears to be able to maintain good relations with former band members is evidenced by the fact that the first song was provided by Lord Valtgryftåke, who left the band in 2024. This rather Lord Valtgryftåke-typical organ-heavy intro leads us to the real focal point of this EP: the characteristic 90’s-driven raw but melancholic Black Metal. Together with their predominantly Chilean colleagues Wampyric Rites form the absolute forefront of the Raw Black Metal scene of Latin America. With their steady working pace and consistent quality, they certainly have gained a lot of praise.
‘Summoning The Beasts In The Night Of Lycanthropic Moon’ is a great addition to the ever-growing Wampyric Rites discography. I am not sure whether these three tracks are already recorded with the new line-up, but they certainly feel much fiercer than the previous few of the band’s releases. Not only do the fast sections feel a lot more vigorous, but the dynamics as a whole feel greater, adding extra power to the faster transitions. That elusive dynamics were already a large part of the Wampyric Rites formula, but the band definitely invested in further deepening their craft. Consequently, this new EP, with blast beats-a-plenty, can easily be counted amongst the band’s best work to date.
People who have had a knack for Wampyric Rites in the past won’t be disappointed with ‘Summoning The Beasts In The Night Of Lycanthropic Moon’ – on the contrary I would say. With most of their peers, especially the bands around Lord Valtgryftåke, do start to sound tiresome and too much alike. In that regard, it is a breath of fresh air to hear a band like Wampyric Rites, that is not afraid to hit the gas pedal firmly every now and them and add much more to the overall 90’s Black Metal experience than mid-tempo keyboard-driven dreary “Atmospheric” Black Metal. As always: recommended.
