Sicarius don’t sound like they come from California, nor does God of Dead Roots sound like it’s from 2020. Its production, by Anaal Nathrakh’s Mick Kenney, carefully rides the line between polish and early entries by Mayhem and Bathory. Sure, they cherry-pick elements from that era, but much of the sound — both sonically and influence-wise — comes from bands that really came into their own in the 1990s.
Acts like Gorgoroth and Dissection inform the no-nonsense but slightly melodic assault of the album’s title track. Blast beats are used sparingly. This gives the song a dynamic feel, really captured in the outro’s drum/guitar interplay and its video’s flashing imagery. Dark clips clash with bright ones, bringing to mind the contrast painted across their faces.
Bassist Carnage explains the visuals.
“With our new album set to release tomorrow, it only seems appropriate that we unleash a preemptive assault of sonic nihilism. Directed by John Ashcraft and edited by Adam Wollach, ‘God of Dead Roots’ is an offering to the old gods. Filming in the pouring rain was a challenge in and of itself, but the end product is something we are truly proud to set upon the world. With respect to the title track of this album, we bring you the video for ‘God of Dead Roots.'”
You can see it for yourself in the player below.
Pre-order God of Dead Roots here. It’s officially out tomorrow, March 13, via M-Theory Audio.
