by Ed Rivadavia

A marked improvement over their debut, 1992's Blood Ritual is a small but firm step in the right direction for Switzerland's Samael. In an evolutionary process reminiscent of Sepultura's, the band abandon their "as much noise as possible" strategy for a cleaner staccato riffing style, which gives rise to actually memorable songs. Standouts such as "Beyond the Nothing," "After the Sepulture," and "Bestial Devotion" sacrifice speed and aggression for better, more complex arrangements; in fact, the title track is the album's only real thrash-out. Also, diversity starts creeping in through the use of acoustic guitars on "Macabre Operetta" and even a few piano interludes on "Since the Creation" and "Total Consecration." A surprisingly strong sophomore effort that won't disappoint discerning death-metal fans.