Sacramentum “Blood Shall Be Spilled” Arrangement Analysis

Sacramentum’s seminal “Far Away from the Sun” has been widely recognized as a classic of epic and melodic black metal for the band’s ability to depict cold and vast landscapes of despair and overcoming not through tricks and gimmicks but by means of sheer compositional wit and creativity aided by adequate production choices. We’ll analyse what seems to be a fan favorite, the third track “Blood Shall be Spilled”, turning our attention in particular to the interactions between the different sections of the song (more so than the individual riffs themselves) and how they contribute to a blasphemously intoxicated exaltation of the warrior spirit in spite of all the hardships and challenges implied by the way of life it imposes.

The song starts with a tension-laden riff that already contains within itself a vital antagonism from which the rest of the song will develop: the first section of this fast and raging riff, consisting in suspended fourths (perfect choice for dissonance), gallops authoritatively and with a sense of purpose, like a battle-ready host marching towards its destination, only to be interrupted by a second section that briefly flattens its momentum – essentially, a quick sequence of thirty-second notes (following the first three notes of the G harmonic minor scale) that appears to “free” the music from the density and heaviness of the power chords into a more agile movement. At the second repetition of the now slightly modified riff (with a longer first part to emphasize its insistence – the kind of tiny detail that makes a difference), the first portion displays intensified drums as if to affirm itself against the interrupting second part, contributing to the growing weight and drama of the song. This intro is a particular favorite of mine within this album; not a blasting assault like in “Fog’s Kiss” nor a suspenseful slower beginning like that of “When Night Surrounds Me”, it nonetheless elegantly states exactly what needs to be established from the start. The listener knows immediately that struggle and restlessness are what will drive the song forward in the elaboration of its message.

As if to resolve the tension, the intro riff is followed by tremolo-picked madness in the form of a pair of complementary riffs (we’ll call them B and C) impressively flowing from each other as if they were mere variations of the same theme; the first starts with an E5 power chord that is raised one semitone and then lowered one semitone at a time before being raised again for the final D5 chord; this ascent, however, is abruptly cut short to restart the riff from the beginning, leaving the tension of the unresolved progression in the air. This results in an “up and down” feel that grants the riff a vertiginous quality while the reverb-soaked vocals, sounding distant and mighty in accordance to the music’s atmosphere, break into the song accompanied by ferocious blast-beats to contribute to the mayhem; riff C, which sticks strictly to ascending and triumphant progressions, actualizes that chaotic momentum from B into a more victorious affirmation – the theme of order arising from chaos as tenebrous energies are mobilized by an higher power. The lyrics accentuate the warlike disposition of this passage:

“Sons of blackness stands unitedBefore the final warIn the name of SatanBlood shall be spilled”

This epic and energetic section creates a peak of intensity after the comparatively modest intro, portraying the possession of the warriors by dark energies; the rhythm then settles down again for the black march to be overtaken by the more “upbeat” riff D, composed of bouncing power chords (which, climbing up or down in pitch, only move one half-step from the previous one), starting and ending in A5 and communicating a calmer and more sober aspect of the maddening ride codified by the tremolo-picked riffs B and C.

Not long after, however, this riff is assertively halted by a ritualistic passage – syncopated suspended chords whose ringing repetition, in contrast to the organic flow of the song until now, gives it a sense of urgency or of pausing for something important to take place. In comparison to the confident, berserk warcries that precede them, the lyrics now assume an almost devotional tone:

“Oh Lord, please take these sacrificesAnd grant us the strength and powerTo do thine willTremendous wrathInhuman torture, sacrifice to our lord”

If we keep the image of the devilish host advancing towards the enemy under the dark ecstasy of battle and bloodlust, it is easy to imagine this section as corresponding to a pause for the renewal of strength through the sinister divinity, perhaps after an horde of enemies has already been slaughtered and the next wave is being awaited; we could even make a blasphemous parallel with the prayer of the knights before or in the midst of medieval conflicts, granting them greater inspiration and vitality on the battlefield. However, this short section is quickly bridged back to tremolo-picked riff B in its full intensity, stressing the fugacity of the moments of rest and invocation in comparison to the unstoppable carnage that they very briefly interrupt.

Following a reprise of D, a stunning and beautifully melodic sequence of riffs that has become iconic announces itself in an abrupt tempo change. Each riff seems to build on the melodic ideas left by the previous one by expanding it into new, more complex variations while the shifting drums underscore the dynamics in question. The result resembles a gradual unveiling of an immense freezing landscape like that of the album’s cover as the clandestine traveller ventures further into it, each step revealing a new corner of the nocturnal kingdom. The goal has been reached. The soaring melodies can only suggest an epiphany that has arrived with the fulfilment of the perennial ideal of the warrior. This unpredictable conclusion, surprising even for the more melodious strains of extreme metal, provides an awe-inspiring coda that manages to finish the song in epic fashion without directly using or reworking a previous theme but maintaining congruence with the other sections, making for an exemplary case of music with a distinct beginning, middle and end.

All of this amounts to a black metal masterpiece. The emotions conveyed are impersonal yet vividly and violently communicated. This track perfectly demonstrates Sacramentum’s knack for epic and sweeping song constructions without relying on trite tools of faux drama – it’s easy to picture, for example, a lesser band resorting to misplaced keyboards or over the top aesthetics to forge artificial grandiosity. Instead, the band crafts a tumultuous voyage made possible by refined songwriting skills and intuitive placing of riffs (the heart of all good metal) that make this album a nearly unmatched example of its genre.