bio

SUPERIOR RAGE began as a raw black metal project blending harsh aggression with atmospheric, dark and symphonic textures. The core creative force has always centred on Superior Rage, joined in the early years by Pagan Fury on guitars and synths and Hyemens Kaiser Tszar on bass.

The project first gained attention with an early demo that established its sound, followed by a collection that mixed unreleased material with new compositions. A series of live recordings with rotating session musicians expanded the band’s presence, while a shift toward a more symphonic direction marked the next creative phase. This period also produced two Fire Eternal EPs, which reinterpreted classic black metal tracks in both traditional and ambient forms.

As the line-up grew, SUPERIOR RAGE released new online material, additional covers and a reimagined version of The Night of Rains. After a period of silence, the project resurfaced with fresh recordings that paved the way for a renewed era of activity. A return to the studio brought new singles, re-recorded highlights from the catalogue and a progressive reinterpretation of Cuore Sincero.

Recent releases have combined updated versions of key tracks with new compositions, supported by a strong group of session musicians who help bring the evolving vision to life. This includes the promo Back to the Crypt, the EP In Memoriam and new material such as Soleright and The Death of the Red Dragon.

Today, SUPERIOR RAGE continues under the direction of Superior Rage, who oversees music, lyrics, synths and bass, joined by a dedicated session line-up:

• Baelithiel on vocals and lyrics • Maikon on drums • Nemorion on guitars for Indecent Condition and Soleright • Hrafnagud on guitars for The Night of Rains, Asmodeus Bacchic and The Death of the Red Dragon

review

The artwork above straight away helps me to set the scene for this review. Imagine your in the crypt of an ancient temple or something similar. Your approached by a person in a cloak and gold mask. And as they approach you start to become disorientated, you start to hear voices and your mind collapses. Panic takes hold of you and you get a weird sensation in your throat. You have visions of entities, things of nightmares.

The music pulls me frantically in every direction, the frenzy of riffs and raspy snarling vocal lines eat away at your being. You watch as the nightmare unfolds and the evilness consumes you. Thats my first impression when playing the first track from In Memoriam and straight away my attention is earned and i’m fulled engaged. And as I progress, the scale and darkness just grows even bigger. There is the haunting choir vocals that feel like ghosts of the dead combined with the dramatic and slightly theatrical feel of the music.

The production is raw, gritty and unpolished, something I favour especially for black metal and similar genres. I just feel it adds character and depth and helps to real in listeners towards the bleakness and dirty tones of the music. The vocals mix have a tendency to mix into the the atmosphere adding that extra layer of eeriness , which is something that works so well. When you look at the instrumentation of the EP it blends together into this grainy, fuzzy driving force that feels full on most of the time. Then all the other background instruments (like violins in the last song) just enhance this woven tapestry of extravagant ideas. Sometimes those little nuances, those extra additions can make all the difference.

And while there is a lot of go go go, there are also moments which breakdown and just focus on the gloom and background sounds that create a bed to the music. And even the rain and chime of church bells just adds an extra layer to soundscape that the band presents. Opposite to that, sometimes the intensity builds and you really lock in, letting the music pummel your ears. Admittedly the direction of this release is a bit unexpected and the style is not the typical black metal I usually go for. However the majority of the release left me pleasantly surprised, largely curious and so I may have to dive into their back catalogue and explore what they have to offer.

Highlight track: The Death of the the Red Dragon

In Memoriam EP track listing:

• Indecent Condition
• Asmodeus Bacchic
• The Night of Rains
• Soleright
• The Death of the Red Dragon

conclusion

Listening to In Memoriam was time well spent, and Superior Rage instantly earned a place on my list of bands to explore further. The EP feels fully realised, packing in all the intensity, darkness and sinister imagination you could want from a symphonic Black Metal release. By the time it reached its final moments, I found myself right back in that temple I pictured at the start, grinning at how completely the band had pulled me into their world. A killer cut from start to finish and absolutely worth checking out.

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