Absentation, ‘Black Rite’ — Killer Lyrics

Killer Lyrics: With sin they gathered / Waiting Lucifer's call / Now the black rite / Sinister tight / Blasphemous creed / Sacrificial lead

The lyrics for Absentation's 'Black Rite,' off of their album 'Claves Inferni' can be looked at as a bit of a paradox, given the current music trends. By reaching back into death metal's history and using many of the genre's conventions -- musical, lyrical and ideological -- they make something that was once overplayed now somewhat refreshing.

'Black Rite' describes a ceremony in the Satanic tradition. Many death metal bands have used such elaborate and dark imagery in the past, for both lyrics and album art ... and it's unclear whether those bands intended it to be taken literally or as representative of something else -- or for pure shock value.

At least some have done it for show, but Absentation are actual true believers in LaVeyan Satanism. This is out of vogue for most current death metal bands, where most have secularized their lyrics or, if they write of religions at all, take the standard-issue skeptical/postmodern view of it.

'Claves Inferni' is out on Satanic Chapel Records and ADP Records.