A dagger plunged. A beating heart removed. A crowd roaring for the sacrifice. The action/thriller film Apocalypto explicitly recreates Aztec sacrifices in one of the movie’s most intense sequences. International death/black metal project Atra Haeresis repurpose some of that footage in the lyric video for their second single. “The Sacred Games” is one of the highlights from the band’s upcoming debut album Pretium. Satanath Records joined forces with German label Kryart Records and Death Portal Studio from the USA to release this record later this month on August 26th. Void Wanderer Productions will also release the album on cassette.
“The Sacred Games” feels harrowing from the first rumble of bass and the eerie guitar leads. While Alexander Antygi’s guitar rips flesh like a sacrificial blade, the kick-drums pummel with underlying dread. The grim snarl from Sergei Ambrazevich is the perfect narrative voice for the song’s exploration of religious barbarity through the ages. At the 2:30 mark the song segues into a meditative whisper that builds tension and suspense. A blast erupts from the quietness that carries the song to it’s final breath.
Sacrifice your next four minutes to the bloodthirsty gods of extreme metal and press play below to listen to Atra Haeresis.
Pre-order the Atra Haeresis album Pretium on Bandcamp HERE
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