Four years after their previous album, Cruel Magic, Satan have released Earth Infernal via Metal Blade Records. The ’80s rippers have taken their time with this new release, and it shows.
“We actually started the process in late 2018, but life kept getting in the way, that is until the shutdown,” says guitarist Russ Tippins. “So, after three years of honing the raw material into 10 fighting fit songs, the actual recording process was brutally quick, and I wouldn’t change that either. We were prepared enough to get the basic tracks recorded live off the floor in one or two takes. When we listened back through the speakers, there was a tangible sense of urgency in the recordings which we didn’t want to lose by overdoing it. In general, the second-takes were played technically better, but the first takes just had something more in the chemistry between us, so that’s what we went with. And because it was already sounding so good, we kept overdubs to an absolute minimum.
Tippins goes on to explain that each release they are rolling out is meant to be a companion to previous records, but also distinct and new. With this album, they aimed to capture the raw essence of the band.
“I mean, we’ve never been the type of band to layer the guitars sixteen times then drown them in a sea of fake orchestra strings,” he expands. “All we want is to get our music across with as few instruments as possible so that our five individual performances are laid bare for the listener. Despite that, I’d venture to say there is more melodic information than ever within those basic tracks. That was only made possible because of the plentiful time and space we were given to create them.”
While not usually an overtly political band, Satan couldn’t stay silent anymore on the issue of climate change, which they address with recent work. Many fans have pointed out that there are references to the issue on the record, including the album title.
“In our whole back catalog, we never voiced a position on the subject, and the only reason we are raising a hand now is that it seems to have been marginalized as a talking point,” Tippins says. “For two years, the world has been preoccupied by a virus and the rise of the right in global politics. Those two issues have monopolized news reporting worldwide. The clamor has been deafening, while our biggest problem has been quietly festering in a dark corner and is worse than ever. Our aim with the title and cover art is to try to direct a little light into that corner. To get it back onto the table. Also, over the last two years we noticed a growing trend among certain circles to proclaim that they don’t trust science anymore—presumably because to do so would require them to make changes in their lifestyles that they just don’t fancy. Yet when it conveniences them they’ll trust in science enough to step onto an airplane or undergo lifesaving heart surgery. Science isn’t a problem if it enables them to log on to the internet and spread the word that science is fake. Let’s just say they haven’t thought that through. In the song lyric of ‘From Second Sight,’ we’ve tried to put ourselves into their mindset and write a kind of manifesto of exactly what they would do when they are kings of the world.”
Watch the video for “Burning Portrait” here:
For more from Satan, find them on Facebook, Bandcamp, and their official website.
Photo courtesy of Satan
