"After three long years, Entartung finally returns from the ominous shadows to which they silently retreated after the release of their prior opus, Baptised into the Faith of Lust . It is fitting that, in a new age of plague and pestilence, their newest album Maleficae Artes (Lat. Dark Arts ) is unleashed upon the world. The elaborate compositions on Maleficae Artes are deeply and firmly rooted in the early 90's atmosphere and remain true to the original spirit of black metal. Brooding, sinister, violent and menacing themes presented by the trademark icy riffing of Lykormas and the militaristic and deadly precise battery assault of Haistulf manifest themselves in a dynamic interaction with acoustic and martial touches of melancholy and gloom. The lyrical subject matters explored on Maleficae Artes are devoted to death, the Faustian spirit, ancient rituals and traditions and the darker chapters of human history; enhancing the experience in a synergetic fashion. The cover artwork, which conceptually is in unison with the album title, is a modified painting by Salvator Rosa. It illustrates a Biblical episode where king Saul summons a spirit with the help of a witch - directly violating Mosaic Law that demanded the death penalty for necromancy.
