Satyr has stated that Rebel Extravaganza is the most misanthropic Satyricon album to date, and I have to agree with him. The lyrical content is cynical and disturbing, complementing the cold harshness of the music perfectly.

One of the mainstays of the Norwegian scene, and a highly touted one at that, Satyricon is recognized for its highly unique take on the black metal sound, staying true to the fundamental ideals while simultaneously escaping easy categorization. The latest album does just that, armed with a substantial array of ingenius, pure metal riffing and some of the fastest, most technical drumming ever heard, courtesy of master skinsman Frost.

Opener "Tied in Bronze Chains" is easily the longest cut on the album, clocking in at just under 11 minutes. It consists of many different parts, seamlessly flowing from one to the next with ease. It's no small feat to make an 11 minute song interesting, but Satyr and co. manage to pull it off.

Other standout tracks include Filthgrider, the awesome "A Moment of Clarity", and the album highlight, "Havoc Vulture". Included are a couple of instrumental/electronic tracks, which seem to be all the rage these days, but I fail to understand the musical significance of these pointless compositions.

This album is not without its faults, however. Some of the compositions are too long and lack direction, and at times the material comes across as dry and uninvolving, demonstrating that good riffs can't always be counted on to carry the load of an ill-conceived song structure.

Overall, "Rebel Extravaganza" is impressive, and a worthy follow-up to the amazing Nemesis Divina. The band has come a long way in its evolution, and if only more time had been spent on shortening the songs and improving the dynamics, this could've been much more than it is. Even so, it's definitely worth your time and cash. Satyricon have once again made everyone stand up and take notice, and many lesser bands can only dream of reaching such heights.

This review is credited to:
incipitsatan