While there was a lot to enjoy about The Quiet Eye of Eternity, it was an album from a band that hadn’t fully stepped out from the impressive shadows of its influences. In the five years following the release of their second album, One Master was not resting. Reclusive Blasphemy shows a lot of progression from their previous work in many ways. Whereas The Quiet Eye of Eternity was very much influenced by the second wave in the way it strung together lengthy passages of tremolo riffs to create a hypnotic atmosphere, Reclusive Blasphemy is a more straightforward, less atmospheric affair. It shares certain aspects with its predecessor, particularly the grim, virulent vocals, but the guitars have taken a far more active role. Instead of everything coalescing into a misanthropic morass of reverb, the songs are riff driven, with plenty of variety. Clandestine Blaze is what comes to mind upon initial listens, but there are many other influences creeping in, as well as enough of the band’s own creation. The result is a sound that is both familiar and unwelcoming.

On first listens, Reclusive Blasphemy is not as immediately enjoyable or digestible as The Quiet Eye of Eternity. The hostility and general malice have increased tenfold, and the resulting caustic mixture is striking.  Another marked difference from One Master’s older material is the production. While it’s just as raw as the previous album, Reclusive Blasphemy is clearer and harder hitting. Valder’s hostile vocals take particular prominence, dominating the mix when he spews forth his hateful blasphemies.

Unlike The Quiet Eye of Eternity, Reclusive Blasphemy takes numerous listens to fully appreciate. The lack of melodicism and catchiness work in its favor though, as the resulting savagery is undeniably compelling. Reclusive Blasphemy is black metal as it should be: hostile, threatening, and uncompromising.