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Malta's most creative and productive underground Metal fellow (or so it seems anyway), Albert Bell, is back with another solo album, Ad Aeternum. The name of the game is once again old school, blackened Heavy and Doom Metal, which seems to be in Albert's blood.

Thematically, the album picks up where the 2014 debut, Deus VoltI, left off: charting the last crusades, the Templars' discovery of ancient hermetic texts, their persecution and executions, the curse of de Molay, and the infiltration into several secret societies by the surviving ones. Musically, the fun continues with the same recipe that Albert used for the debut. I think the description blackened Doom/Heavy Metal fits very well to describe Albert's musical crusade on this record. Albert surely digs his Venoms as much he digs his Celtic Frosts and Saint Vituses and all this other old school and traditional heavier stuff that originally inspired him to go solo with Sacro Sanctus. His songwriting powder has always been very dry, which has sort of given him the freedom to do anything he wants within a heavier side of music. 

The concept on Ad Aeternum – added with the overall vibe and feeling – is amazingly ominous, frightening, oppressive and even evil. His mostly spoken vocal lines also add a special twist, making him sound like some thirteenth century priest who is about to send heretic witches to be burned at the stake (following the Treason Act 1351). Albert has shown his brilliance and true devotion as a songwriter, crowning his work by greatly textured and idea-rich elements.

Ad Aeternum is evidently a great and absolutely well-made continuum from Albert once again, showing more of this sinister and devilish side with his solo band. Guilty as charged... I liked this album probably more than it's allowed for one man to do so. Nonetheless, it felt good to become hanged, drawn and quartered by this album, metaphorically speaking. I have met my doom. Thanks Albert.