The first three albums of these Italian masters of the black arts known as Opera IX are in my eyes timeless classics that should be part of any serious black metal collection. Their second album ‘Sacro Culto’ even came out on the Shiver Records label and is as far as I’m concerned easily the finest record that small, yet renowned Belgian label ever put out. ‘The Black Opera’ rounded off that trilogy and also marked the departure of their original vocalist Cadaveria who consecutively started her own self-monikered band in a more gothic oriented style.

The rest of the troupe soldiered on with varying degrees of success across several albums they consistently put out across the next two decades.

Jump ahead to 2026. Founding member Ossian is the only one left from the original lineup and the whole new rhythm and synth section alongside vocalist, Dipsas  Dianaria, no that’s not her real name, as the new vocalist since the ‘Back to Sepulro’ album where they revisited some old material from their first cvlt two records.

With the new year we also get an actual new full length record in the guise of ‘Veneficium’. ‘Gratidia’ starts out with en eerie synth line that swells under Dipas‘ solemn declamations and bleeds into ‘Vocation Mortuorum’ that slowly comes to life until in erups in all its symphonic grandness. Not sure why it needs to fade out so abruptly all of a sudden. I had hoped producers would be past that by now. What, are we 1993 again?

‘Saturni Arcanum’ really recalls those fabulous first records of the band. The ferociousnees of the vocal delivery, the thunderous drums, menacing guitar works and sppky synths. Despite essentially being an almost compleltely new band, Ossian has managed to preserve or recapture its essence on the new album. Something which could not be said for some of their records in the past.

‘Saltatio Corvi’ launches itself in a very doom laden way, worthy of Candlemass or Funeral. This doom manna streaming from the heavens then transforms into a pagan frenzy in the most delightful way.

‘Hortus Sagae’ is again driven by sweeping synths and the rapturous vocalist. Then The moody interlude ‘Sagana’  majestically builds up to tge blistering  ‘Defixiones’, to be followed up by the title track.

As we’re nearing the end of the album , ‘Asphodelios’ pulls back a bit on the speed and gives the usually ferocious frontwoman a change to show a more delicate, melancholic side to her art. ‘Veia’ closes down the record proper, but hidden at the and is a cover, Black Sabbath’s titular track from their self-titled debut. This has of course been covered unnumerable times by metal bands of every ilk, with mixed results to be fair. This particular version is quite original despite its unmistakable ominous tritone with the vocalist trying to give its own twist while still paying homage to the late Ozzy. Especially, in the second half of the song they feel comfortably enough to give it their own pitch black colour to the song.

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