Sarke - Endo Feight

Angry Metal Guy 70

Renowned black metal bassist and drummer Sarke has been one busy dude lately. Last year, we saw a new Tulus record, and 2024 releases from Khold and Sarke. Nocturno Culto has also been quite busy, not only participating in Endo Feight but also dropping a new Darkthrone record this year. While I enjoyed the recent offerings from Tulus and Khold, I was one of a few reviewers who did not enjoy Darkthrone’s It Beckons Us All……. Thankfully, Sarke is the mastermind of his creation, so there’s no fear that this year’s offering will be bad. Over the years, Sarke has seen its fair share of metal greats performing on their albums. But, lately, the lineup has been fairly stable. However, this time Sarke chose to get back behind the kit, which he hasn’t done since the debut record, Vorunah. If this news doesn’t give you goosebumps on your nuts, nothing will.

If you’ve ever heard the band, you’ll know that Culto plays around with his vocals more than his main band, adding his touch to the haunting, hard-hitting songwriting of Sarke. If this is your first time with Sarke, you’ll find that it’s becoming more and more difficult to tie them to a specific genre. With each release, they continue to deviate from their black metal roots, delivering bombastic orchestrations, downright crushing thrash licks, and eerie keyboard tapestries that trap you in an ’80s slasher flick. Unlike other bands of their kind, you should never expect Sarke to return to their roots or model a new album off a previous one. Instead, they get weirder with each release and continue to raise eyebrows year after year. Of the most recent offerings, 2019’s Gastwerso was easily one of their best and almost made it on my year-end list. But the question remains, does Endo Feight have the ability to match my deep love of Gastwerso?

Endo Feight by Sarke

When the opener begins, I immediately feel those warm and fuzzy feelings. Like Gastwerso’s “Mausoleum,” “Phantom Recluse” is BIG. Not only does it do a great job of kicking off the album in a massive, grooving style but the orchestration is the biggest on the album. As it grows, the dynamics open up and let the orchestral layers surface like the band is actually surrounded by a 40-piece symphony. As with all Sarke records, that will be the last time you hear a piece of this caliber on Endo Feight. Instead, the band ventures further into their repertoire, introducing the strange, twangy guitar work on “Lost” and beautiful acoustic guitars on “Abysmal Echoes.” The first track of this back-to-back combo maintains the same pace from beginning to end, strapping it down with Culto’s odd, almost-spoken-word vocals. Combining the guitars and vocals with the eerie keys makes this song one of the strangest of the album. “Abysmal Echoes” opens with pleasing acoustic guitars and a matching solo before the keys and vocals arrive. Then, the black metal groove kicks in, adding yet another layer to the chaos. But, the coolest part comes at the end when the distorted guitars fade out while the acoustic ones fade in.

Other standouts are “Old Town Sinner” and the closer, “Macabre Embrace.” Both songs are very different but I suppose, every song differs from the other. And that alone is why Sarke keeps me so invested. The storytelling lyrics of “Old Town Sinner” work nicely with the vocal approach and the sinister key atmospheres that engulf the track. However, the band does a good job with the song structure and the rocking black metal groove to avoid overpowering the lyrics and vocal approach. Doing so allows this simple track to grow and evolve as it goes. “Macabre Embrace” is maybe the strangest song on the album because it’s a slow-moving monster that would fit better on an Autopsy album rather than a Sarke one. But, it works with its slithering goodness and those hammering piano notes that ring like a bell at its conclusion.

If you love Gastwerso as much as me, you’ll be pleased to know that Endo Feight is every bit as good. There are the occasional issues I have with it, but overall it’s a pleasing listen. Yeah, Culto’s vocal approach on “Lost” can be a bit grinding, but the guitar tone is just too cool to be upset with the song. And while the remaining tracks have some solid moments, they are pretty standard compared to others. Thankfully, the band continues to release dynamic masters that let you experience the bass and keys beyond just hearing them. Sarke never disappoints. Each time I review them, it’s more a measurement of how good one album is to another because the band’s entire discog contributes something to the band’s history. So, buckle in Sarke lovers. You’re going to enjoy this one.

Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Soulseller Records | Bandcamp¹
Websites: sarkeband.bandcamp.com² | facebook.com/sarkeofficial
Releases Worldwide: June 21st, 2024

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