Burial’s Rejoice In Sin is one of those rare black metal albums that manages to be both filthy and focused. This UK trio doesn’t mess around; no frills, no filler, just stripped-down black metal soaked in atmosphere, aggression, and a surprising amount of precision.
The title track kicks off with a distant horn-like sound that feels like the start of some ancient ritual, before erupting into guttural screams and razor-sharp riffing. From there, it’s organized chaos. Drums blaze, tempo shifts throw you off balance just enough to keep things interesting, and the whole track closes on a clean-but-still-crushing note. It grabs you by the throat and drags you straight into the void.
Second track Wretched Is This Life is the crown jewel. That intro? A damn clinic in how to let the bass breathe while still keeping the guitars snarling. When that tempo shift drops and brings back the opening riff, it hits with even more weight. The bass punches through again, standing on its own instead of hiding behind the wall of sound. It’s one of those rare moments in black metal where the low end gets the spotlight and absolutely owns it.
Vocals throughout are pure menace. Derek Carley doesn’t overdo it, either. It’s raw, guttural, and fitting without falling into parody. Dave Buchan’s drumming avoids the usual monotone blast beat trap by adding variation and depth, and again, that bass work just keeps surprising. For a three-piece, the sound is way fuller than it has any right to be.
What sets this album apart is its ability to stay rooted in traditional black metal while experimenting just enough. There are flashes of atmosphere, moments that feel borderline symphonic, and even a black-n-roll groove that creeps in here and there. But nothing ever feels out of place. It’s all grim, all cold, but never stale.
I’ve spun this thing a dozen times and haven’t once felt the need to skip a track. It’s immersive, detailed, and hits like a shovel to the chest. Rejoice In Sin proves that raw doesn’t have to mean sloppy—and that black metal, when done right, still has plenty of new ground to carve up.
