Back in the ’90s, bands like Abruptum were already doing it—using Latin for all their lyrics and titles. There was no Google Translate back then, so we just had to trust that their beautifully corpse-painted faces meant the Latin they used was grammatically correct.
The Ghent-based Matavitatau also uses Latin, but unlike Abruptum, vocalist Θ is actually a Latin teacher. And while it may be a dead language, it’s brought back to life on Numen Nescio(“I Kill the God”). Note: Google fucked up because the title means ‘I do not know the divine will’
If my translations aren’t accurate, Θ will have to forgive me—though these days, we do have Google Translate, even if it often misses the mark.
The four raw Black Metal tracks on this debut release have a sound somewhat reminiscent of Mayhem. Guitarist Sparakter keeps things relatively simple, with a few bursts of flair, while former bassist Apovrasma—who has since left the band—cuts through the mix with sharp, precise bass lines. Drummer Loimos delivers varied patterns, occasionally speeding ahead of the rest, though that only adds to the charm.
Θ’s unique vocal techniques—his screams, shrieks, and theatrical delivery—tie everything together into an ominous and unsettling whole.
Everything comes together beautifully on Elicior Tenebris (“’I am drawn out of darkness’”), but my personal favorite is the more dramatic Calcanda Semel Via Leti (“The path of death is to be trodden once”), which perfectly captures the journey down that path.
With this EP, the members of Matavitatau deliver a solid debut, hinting that there’s much more greatness to come.
80/100