American black metal has a surprisingly high profile in 2010. Twenty years ago, along with West Coast crew Von, the blasphemous, restless trio Profanatica were among the first to don the corpse paint and go for it Stateside. As I noted in 2007 while discussing USBM’s beginnings:

New York’s Profanatica, formed in 1990 by three former members of the death-metal band Incantation, is often cited by other black-metal musicians as the seminal USBM band. Their death-tinged sound is raw, hissing, and lo-fi, and they have song titles like “Raping of Angels” and “Final Hour of Christ.”

They broke up in 1992, but original member (and Havohej braintrust) Paul Ledney reformed the group in 2001 with two new members. Their 2007 comeback album (and proper full-length debut) Profanatitas De Domonatia was strong. This year’s bassier, dirtier Disgusting Blasphemies Against God is stronger. Fan of the progressive elements in some contemporary black metal? The clean vocals and shoegaze? Keyboards? You’ll find the opposite here … If you haven’t heard Profanatica 2010, their sound and songs are just as filthy, heavy, blown-out, buzzing, and fucked-up as the old days. And that dank, dark, pissed atmosphere’s just as compelling. See, for example, the glacial blackened doom of closer “Angel With Cock.”

Profanatica – “Angel With Cock”

01 “Black Cum”

02 “Pious Piece Of Shit”

03 “Christs Precious Blood Poisoned”

04 “Smashing Religious Fucking Statues”

05 “Fuck The Blood Of The Lamb”

06 “Covered In Black Shit”

07 “No Trumpet Shall Sound”

08 “Crush All That Is Holy Defile”

09 “Excrement Sacrosanct”

10 “Angel With Cock”

Disgusting Blasphemies Against God is out via Hells Headbangers. Hear the first three tracks, along with other gems, at MySpace. See them live when you can.