Onirik has been one of the Portuguese black metal bands I’ve followed most closely over the past decade or so, as founder Gonius Rex has had a way of taking the mystery and power of early black metal and adding his own touches to it. Where his material in the early 2000s took on a more raw and straightforward approach, 2009’s After Centuries of Silence showcased a shift to something a bit more nuanced. This was expanded upon significantly on 2015’s Casket Dream Veneration, which was my initial introduction to Onirik. On that album Gonius Rex wrote songs that had twists and turns similar to bands like Negative Plane and the murkier, mysterious atmosphere of some of the more obscure 90s black metal but continued to add additional twists to them. By 2020’s The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity the approach had morphed again towards an incredibly dense and noisier form that took more time to get a feel for but had just as much to offer those willing to stick with it. It has taken Onirik another five years to re-emerge with the final piece of the trilogy started with Casket Dream Veneration, and Curling Serpents Under Stone also alters things in significant ways. The sound has a noticeably melodic slant and the writing is a bit more straightforward, though still providing plenty of the band’s trademark twists and turns ensuring there’s plenty for listeners to discover.
The Fire Cult Beyond Eternity was incredibly dense and murky, requiring a handful of listens before the individual layers started to reveal themselves. Curling Serpents Under Stone completely reverses this approach, as after the two-minute intro “All is Hell, Hell Is All” greets the listener with crystal clear melodies and a haunting yet still destructive sound. Considering the last release thematically documented the apocalypse and this one explores the aftermath, the clarity and more somber approach fits perfectly. It feels like some of the immediacy of Casket Dream Veneration has been infused with some of the medieval and somber themed 90s black metal, which is a combination that’s sure to be appealing for quite a few listeners. But despite being a bit more compact and considerably more accessible than its predecessor, this album isn’t Onirik peeling away all its unique qualities for a pure early Satyricon or similar tribute. Tracks are generally more direct, especially the grandiose melodies and blasting on “Night of Nights”, but some of the slightly longer ones like “Undertaker of Men” have the same twisting and turning approach that the band is known for. These slower burns give the atmosphere the opportunity to reach some of its strongest peaks, and this is also perfectly demonstrated on “To My Last Day on Earth” later in the album. The first few times through the soaring melodic leads grabbed me but I wasn’t sure if there was going to be as much meat to the writing as the last two Onirik albums, but over time additional details have revealed themselves and drawn me back for even closer listens. It’s a testament to Gonius Rex’s ability that Curling Serpents Under Stone can seem simple on the surface but still give plenty to find the longer you spend with it.
Casket Dream Veneration caught my attention in 2015 not only because of the riffs, but because of the sung/chanted passages that transitioned perfectly into raspy screaming. Unfortunately that seemed to be more of a specific feature of that album, as it’s something Gonius Rex hasn’t focused on since and Curling Serpents Under Stone sticks firmly on the harsh side of the spectrum. It could be that he deemed it to not fit with the lyrical content and themes this time, but it is an element I miss and I hope it returns someday. Setting that aside, the performance still finds Onirik in peak form, as the screams have an intense, sinister tone to them that pulls you in with each verse. Where the vocals were somewhat obscured on the last album, the much clearer production allows them to stand front and center on this one which significantly increases the impact they have on listeners.
Onirik has completed a decade long trilogy with another top-notch album, and while Casket Dream Veneration slightly edges it out for me there’s still so many incredible riffs and melodic flourishes that make Curling Serpents Under Stone well worth exploring. If the last one was a bit too impenetrable for you consider giving this one a shot, as it captures that mysterious and haunting 90s black metal atmosphere while retaining a lot of Onirik’s unique qualities. Gonius Rex tends to go radio silent in between releases so who knows when and what will be after this, but I’ll be waiting to hear it. Curling Serpents Under Stone is available from I, Voidhanger Records.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg