Another day, another black metal demo with a decent groove and a potential for greater success. I think I would grow tired of this sort of thing if it were not for it being absolutely entertaining. From what I can tell, Seprents Throne is a two piece from Denmark with a 2 song demo which is being offered in digital form for a modest sum. It is partially lo-fi and deliberately comes with an air of being obscured from any clear information. While the aesthetics are not novel, Serpents Throne does make itself known among the other demos by a focused and effective sound which sounds like it is delivered from the mouth of a hydra.

One of the most interesting aspects of Serpents Lair are the vocals which retain a wet snarl in a style dominated by howling screams. In fact, midway through “Epistemology of Death,” the vocals take on a flat grunt which adds to the already taxing nature of the music. Add to this the way the band makes use of guitar effects and wails and one has black metal which, while still fierce, is still geared for entertainment. Though the production is partially lo-fi, the band adopts the sound of bands like Marduk, Absu and other mid-fi black metal born from rhythm.

I would interested to see what a full length from Seprents Lair would sound like. The band has a keen ability to carry intensity through tracks which would either yield a furious 35 minute album or possibly something else entirely more frightening. While there is a bevvy of different black metal styles being made, Serpents Lair offers a traditional experience which is dominated by visceral hate with reasonable performance. I could see myself getting comfortable in this lair.