Billed as “Decadent Dark Metal” by the excellent taste-havers over at Debemur Morti Productions, Porta Nigra have just graced the world with their debut full-length recording. Fin De Siècle appeared in Europe a couple months ago and has just made its way to American shores this week. The title translates to “end of the century,” but its meaning delves much further into themes of decadence and the overall degradation of society associated with European mindsets at the close of the 19th century. The sound swells with a culturally refined version of black-dark aggression, a little like Rotting Christ in a wine bar or Alcest in an absinthe-fueled fury. But really, comparisons won’t do justice to the seven solid songs that fill out the record.
Conveniently, you won’t have to rely on anyone’s half-lucid attempt at describing the German band’s engaging 50 minutes of velvet terror. Here at Decibel, we’re giving you a listen to the whole record. So stream before you buy. Then go out and spend like civilization was crumbling over your head, all western currency was drained of every bit of its former worth, and the fascists were already scratching at your door. Cuz, hey, just about nothing in that last sentence is hypothetical.
