Brazilian Black Metal band OUTLAW is back with their fourth full-length, “Opus Mortis”, and they shouldn’t need much introduction to anyone paying attention. Following “The Fire In My Tomb” (2020) and “Reaching Beyond Assiah” (2023), this record feels like the band has stripped everything down to the core and pushed forward with pure intent. And for that, apart from the original members Daniel Souza (vocals, guitars) and Tommi Tuhkala (drums), Jelle Soolsma and Georgios Maxouris from DÖDSRIT and Lucas Veles from BLASPHEMANIAC also collaborated on vocal and guitars on this record. From the opening moments, the album is a relentless barrage. This is a brutal experience, a nonstop surge that hardly lets up. For listeners who crave an all-out assault, this record certainly delivers plenty of it. This is like pressing forward with fury through tracks like ‘Blaze Of Dissolution’ and ‘Through The Infinite Darkness’. There are short, atmospheric breathers and build-ups, but they only serve to underscore the impending return to violence. The following numbers ‘The Crimson Rose’ (feat. Jelle of DÖDSRIT), ‘A Million Midnights’ (feat. Lucas Veles of BLASPHEMANIAC) and ‘Those Who Breathe Fire’ (feat. Georgios of DÖDSRIT) fired the record to more viciousness with their contributions and makes it evident again that effective collaborations always added more to the compositions and surely make the overall experience interesting. And then there are surprises too, as ‘A Subtle Intimation’ comes in. It begins with a quiet, deceptive introduction, only to tear itself open moments later. The riffs are provoking, and in the way the guitars and drums combine, gives the track a potent drive that lingers long after it ends. It’s a definite highlight without breaking the overall onslaught. Even though the sound no longer corresponds to the low-fi and minimalist Black Metal style, but rather follows the modern pathos of a dynamic sound, the overall mix still deserves praise. Everything sits exactly where it should; the guitars cut cleanly, the drums have necessary weight and the guttural vocals are pushed forward enough to command without overshadowing the instrumental layers. OUTLAW has found the balance where every strike lands, but the desolate atmosphere remains perfectly intact. While the band delivered Black Metal’s uncompromising fury, there’s also a powerful melodic current running through the record. But this doesn’t soften the album but opens the door wider, making it an easy recommendation, not only for the genre enthusiasts, but also for those who want their Black Metal ferocious yet melodic. To find out more on the band and label, please visit www.facebook.com/outlawblackmetal or www.facebook.com/aoprecs.