They may be down to a twosome on Rebel Extravaganza -- Frost on "Battery" duty and mainman Satyr doing everything else -- but
Satyricon retains the keynotes of their sound -- goblin vocals, hyper-driven blastbeats, and sepulchral atmospherics -- while managing to experiment with new elements, like a marked industrial tone to the wall of guitar noise that supplants the synths in many places and -- blasphemy! -- even a more rock & roll feel to some tracks. But while the change in musical direction and the goth-painted visage of Satyr on the album inlay may shriek "sellout," the band has been canny enough to include an equal number of songs that stick faithfully to the blueprint laid down on their classic albums
The Shadowthrone and
Nemesis Divina. It is ironic, then, that large portions of Rebel Extravaganza are afflicted by a monochromatic sameness that makes it difficult for all but the most committed to keep their minds from wandering while listening to it. Which may also be because a few songs (the otherwise impressive "The Scorn Torrent" among them) go on for way too long. Though the album overall is well performed and produced, it often lacks feel, giving the impression of something professionally and clinically pieced together. Rebel Extravaganza is listenable, just not engaging enough for non-hardcore fans -- and that's not for want of trying either, which is more the pity. ~ Leslie Mathew