Album Review: Grand Fornicator Ov Stigmatics by Voltaic Omen
Alright, so let’s talk about Grand Fornicator Ov Stigmatics by Voltaic Omen. Released in 2013 under the German label Of Crawling Shadows Records, this black metal beast is not for the faint of heart. It’s raw, unapologetic, and dripping with that grim atmosphere only black metal can pull off. The mastermind behind it all? Vereörmihi, who handles everything from screaming into oblivion to shredding riffs like a man possessed.
Now, I’ve listened to a ton of black metal albums, but this one sticks out for me because of two tracks in particular—Fanatical Worship Of The Sixhorned Godbeast and Missiles To Heaven. Let me tell ya why these songs are still buzzing around my head days later.
First up, Fanatical Worship Of The Sixhorned Godbeast. Holy crap, what a title, right? But don’t let the over-the-top name fool ya—it delivers. This track just explodes outta nowhere with blast beats so fast they feel like someone’s punching your eardrums (in a good way). The vocals sound like an actual demon trying to escape hell, which honestly fits perfectly. What makes it memorable though is how chaotic yet tight it feels. Like, sure, there’s madness everywhere, but every riff hits hard, and every drum fill feels deliberate. You can tell Vereörmihi knows exactly what he’s doing here.
Then there’s Missiles To Heaven. Man, this song caught me off guard. It starts kinda slow and eerie, almost like it’s luring you into some dark forest where bad things happen. And then BAM!—the tempo shifts, and suddenly you’re neck-deep in relentless aggression. There’s something hypnotic about the tremolo picking; it just pulls you deeper into its vortex. Plus, the lyrics? Super cryptic but oddly poetic. I found myself rewinding just to catch lines I missed the first time. Not gonna lie, this track gave me chills more than once.
Other tracks like Iron Pentacle and Death March Of The Angels keep the energy high, but those two mentioned above really stood out for their sheer intensity and creativity. Even the intro sets the mood nicely—it’s short but effective, like lighting a match before throwing it onto gasoline.
What’s wild about this album is how it manages to be both brutal and atmospheric at the same time. Most black metal leans heavily on one or the other, but Voltaic Omen finds this perfect balance. It’s like taking a walk through a stormy wasteland while being chased by wolves. Intense stuff.
So yeah, if you’re into black metal—or even if you’re just curious about diving deeper into the genre—Grand Fornicator Ov Stigmatics is worth checking out. Just make sure you’ve got headphones on because this isn’t background music. Oh, and fun fact: listening to this album somehow made my cat freak out and hide under the couch. Coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe cats know when unholy forces are at play. Either way, solid album.