True to the old adage that opposites attract - A review of Satyricon's Live at the Opera

Satyricon's Live at the Opera is the perfect example that the sum can be greater than its parts. 

The Norwegian duo plays numbing black metal with hoarse vocals that are rather spoken than anything else, repetitive riff patterns and a stoic rhythm section that could vary more than it actually does. 

The Norwegian National Opera Chorus consists of fifty-five highly talented singers but their regular performances often end up sounding somewhat exchangeable and can get quite nerve-firing after a while due to their theatrical approach.

However, the numbing black metal music and the overwhelming choirs complete each other perfectly and make for a balanced, coherent and fluid release with an appropriate length of thirteen tunes plus a short overture and a total running time just above one and a half hours that never gets boring and is best enjoyed uninterruptedly.

While other metal bands have failed to harmonize with choirs and orchestras because each component ended up burying the other, this unique live show that drew fans from all across the world to Norway sounds like a perfect match. This is true to the old adage that opposites attract. Both sides deserve recognition and respect for having mingled their sounds so organically.

Forget about Cradle of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Graveworm and other bands that have tried to combine operatic music with black metal. They might have created respectable records in the past but the collaboration between Satyricon and the Norwegian National Opera Chorus is on a higher level and has achieved remarkable symbiosis. The beauty meets the beast and has created a bastard that brings symphonic extreme metal to the next level without ever sounding pretentious. In a certain way, Satyricon might be the spiritual successor of early Therion and deserves as much credit as Batushka these days. Let's hope the band continues to experiment in that regard and that other extreme metal bands follow its stunning example.

Final rating: 90%