"Satyricon, comprised of Satyr - vocalist, guitarist, bassist - and his musical conman Frost - drummer extraordinaire - were among the most significant bands of the second wave of Norwegian black metal. Their first three albums are considered classics of the genre by many black metal purists - an opinion I'm inclined to share despite being a newcomer to black metal and surely no purist. The extensive folk and medieval influences present in those albums set Satyricon apart in an increasingly crowded and repetitive black metal field. Starting with their fourth album Rebel Extravaganza, Satyricon moved in a more modern direction, taking in industrial and death metal influences and, on subsequent releases, forging a more conventional metal sound that alienated many older fans, as the band began to lose those aspects - such as the aforementioned folk influences - which made it distinctive. Yet the more accessible direction also expanded the fanbase in new directions. Their first three albums - and especially Dark Medieval Times - evoke the icy chill of the northern tundra like few other musical releases, an effect intensified by the folky acoustic breaks, the melodic interludes, the sound effects such as strong blowing winds, and the varied vocals moving from growls to whispers."- fullmetalalchemy
"Let's face it, Satyricon mastermind, Satyr, is far too gifted a musician/songwriter to cling to the constraining, traditional black metal of the first three albums. Granted, the creativity was in effect even then, with medieval touches that helped differentiate Satyricon from other BM acts of that time. But this ever-evolving artist deserved better production and a more diverse fanbase. Thankfully, the fourth album Rebel Extravaganza demonstrated the full creativity of this powerhouse outfit with fascinating structures, loads of tempo changes, and glistening production. Since then, Satyricon have truly appeared to be poised for a mainstream breakthrough. Tracks like "Fuel for Hatred" and "Now, Diabolical" frankly sound damn near like radio-friendly singles. This and the fact that you can't (or at least shouldn't) talk about Satyricon without at least a mention of the juggernaut behind the drum kit, oughtta be a recipe for world domination. They truly have the looks and the chops to become the first black metal act to have a huge commercial breakthrough. Time will tell."- goatlipss
rym
