PERFIDUS – I (Black Gangrene Productions)

If I was in any way professional, conscientious or competent about what I do here, I’d have reviewed this cassette ages ago. I purchased ‘I’ almost twelve months hitherto and then completely forgot about it. My filing system is reasonably organised but I only spotted this one again recently … sitting benignly in a pile far removed from my main library of shit. A quick observation ensues, though I’m not sure if this debut demo is even available any more, doh!

There are three untitled tracks on the tape and the first of them is probably the pick of a well-above-average bunch (mellower and creepier, reminding me of Xasthur, Mons Veneris and Toil’s ‘Obscure Chasms’ for some reason), before we go into more typical Portuguese corrosive territory. Perfidus delivers savage, raw, not-giving-a-fuck-about-trends-or-people Black Metal – suitably dissonant, corrupt, horrible and unpalatable. Yet, there’s a charm and elegance (and, dare I say it, melody) to the buzzing maelstrom of barely-restrained chaos that has me going back time and time again (now that I’ve found it) for another peek / listen.

A cool band here (even if this release is all too fleeting) and one certainly worth keeping an eye / ear out for.

Evilometer: 444/666