Sothis - 'De Oppresso Liber'

When you're listening to De Oppresso Liber, Sothis sounds like they are from the cold, icy tundra of Norway or Sweden. They sport the requisite corpse paint and have black metal pseudonyms like Drogoth and Nylock. Even though their sound and look are Scandinavian, Sothis hail from sunny southern California, not exactly a bastion of black metal.

De Oppresso Liber is the full-length debut from Sothis. It's symphonic black metal that's majestic and evil sounding. Flailing blast beats are augmented by ominous guitars and atmopheric keyboards and synthesizers. This is their first CD, but Sothis has been together for nearly a decade. That's why their sound is so polished and precise.

Most of the CD is traditional symphonic black metal, but there are a few surprises. In the middle of "Obsidian Throne," they bust out a couple of guitar solos that would be right at home in a power metal song. There are several nuances like this throughout the CD that help add depth and diversity.

The number of American black metal bands has grown considerably in the past few years. Bands like Sothis and CDs like De Oppresso Liber show that the U.S. scene is a strong and vital one.

(released September 2, 2008 on Candlelight Records)