The Tempter's Victorious follows PERDITION TEMPLE's celebrated debut album, Edict of the Antichrist Elect, from 2010. Though many years have passed, the (hell)fire stills burns brightly in the PERDITION TEMPLE, and The Tempter's Victorious sees the band perfecting their militant, malevolent brand of blackened death metal. However, band founder/scene veteran Gene Palubicki is joined by an elite cadre of new members here, including his old ANGELCORPSE guitar foil Bill Taylor (also of IMMOLATION) and, on vocals, BLACK WITCHERY's intimidating Impurath. Together, the revitalized quintet peal off one surging, contorting attack after another, their crush chaotic yet controlled, making The Tempter's Victorious a swift eight-track tornado. Finally, The Tempter's Victorious!
Review
The production job quite clear for such a raw form of death metal but it lets all instruments keep a fair degree of grit without becoming a senseless blur. In particular the bass is as easily heard as on a technical death metal album even if it mostly harmonizes and strikes down hard on root notes to double down on the sense of unceasing power. The drumming keeps up admirably and throws in blink-fast rolls at key intersections, staying reserved for the most part but unafraid of letting loose with suppressing blast beat fire and vicious, snappy fills that push rather than momentarily dissolve the onslaught of their advance. It's not particularly advanced but it emphasizes function over form, well integrated to almost be easily ignored in the midst of so much excellent riffing but complimenting it like a lieutenant giving out subtle orders amidst a raging firefight. - Metal Observer 5/5
