One Master – Reclusive Blasphemy [US, Black] (2015)

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Eternal Death | 7-21-15

Eternal Death | 7-21-15

I knew this day would come. Back int he early years of Tape Wyrm I stumbled on the live release “Live in the House of Quiet.” I even ended the review with a lamentation reiterating that “it is sort of sad I never got to know One Master during a year with a full length but this live record is more than enough to keep scanning the radio waves for a program from the realms of the abyss.” This sort of thought is with me a lot when reviewing lesser known metal. I can not count the cumber of demos and EPs from bands who I wish would come back for a full length. One Master did come back, and it is fucking horrifying.

The last release for One Master was in 2009 and before that 2006. This band seems to take their time getting full lengths together. What I did not realize at the time was the band’s full devotion to darkness and the occult. While Live in the House of Quiet looked like a standard underground demo, Reclusive Blasphemy has more of the signs of a searing black metal record complete with a cover which could be home to an old RPG rulebook. One Master has always been discernible from its hardcore/punk infatuations which send mid tempo black metal into flails of kicks. Reclusive Blasphemy however has more of a centered approach and the band’s penchant for longer songs has more focus. The album’s opener “House of Saturn” commands attention with its various sections and ripping vocals.

If one has never experienced the cold embrace of One Master, Reclusive Blasphemy is a perfect introduction to a band who has more than enough power to break a jaw. The lyrical approach may not be that novel but One Master has strength in pure fury which seems to emanate from the still raw production. There are some days when one wishes fro black metal which seems to be raised by wolves in the hinterlands of some hellish land. Reclusive Blasphemy is a good place to start. Just do not be caught here after dark.