Tag Archives: Heather Blewett

Temple of Baal – Mysterium

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The amalgamation of black and death metal (often referred to as blackened death) has been successfully utilized by many bands; Dissection and Behemoth perhaps the most distinguished. It’s an unholy union that blends the macabre frostiness of black metal with the tempo and technicality of death metal. Temple of Baal hail from Paris and evoke just that with their latest release, Mysterium (Agonia). Despite being active since 1998 they have only released five full length albums and a handful of splits, one of which being alongside the phenomenal black metal band Sargeist. Momentum really got going in 2003 with the release of Servants of the Beast (Oaken Shield) and from then on the band has become more and more prolific, releasing albums every couple of years.

Their chosen theme of spirituality and religiosity is immediately apparent through the track titles alone, with songs like ‘Lord of Knowledge and Death’, ‘Hosanna’ & ‘Holy Art Thou’ being somewhat of a clue. But fear not, this is no Christian metal atrocity as the band clearly state, “Mysterium can be seen as a collection of meditations and prayers over the mysteries of Faith, directed towards the gods of the left hand path”. This prominent theme is further enforced by ritualistic sections interspersed throughout the record, epitomized in ‘Dictum Ignis’ which is an ideal accompaniment to any satanic ritual.

Aggressive and forceful, ‘Lord of Knowledge and Death’ makes no apologies for its brutal onslaught, a devastating riff interrupts the atmospheric introduction and it’s full on chaos from here on out. The riffs are piercing and well layered for a full, thick sound. Temple of Baal are all about variation, not wanting to stagnate they inject their music with different styles and sounds. ‘Magna Gloria Tua’ begins with a disorientating swirl of noise before unleashing some pummelling death metal, whilst ‘All In Your Name’ employs riffs more akin to the black metal sound. ‘Holy Art Thou’ is bursting with malice; the lyrics “Holy Art Thou!” are growled with utter venom. Exceptional fretwork shines through on the album, and is without a doubt the most memorable component, crushing yet technical and melodic, each riff serves a purpose whilst adding vigour and captivating variation.

Mysterium is a spiritual journey down the left hand path of darkness and iniquity, a remarkable journey that is without doubt unforgettable. Bow down and worship at the Temple of Baal.

 

7.5/10

 

HEATHER BLEWETT


Vreid – Sólverv

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The inception of Vreid (meaning ‘wrath’) unfortunately was a result of the tragic loss of Windir’s founder and front man Valfar, who died of hypothermia in 2004. The remaining members chose to continue under the Vreid moniker and have gone on to be a prolific Norwegian black metal band, releasing an album every two years. Sólverv (Indie) marks their seventh opus, an album inspired by their Norwegian heritage and ancestry, a passion embedded within the black hearts of each band member. Perhaps not attaining the same notability status as other Norwegian BM bands that still uphold huge popularity today, such as Satyricon, Gorgoroth, Taake etc, a loyal fan base has remained devoted since the Windir days.

Remaining true to the BM paradigm, Sólverv exudes 90’s second wave black metal nostalgia, with blast beats and fast paced tremolo picking in abundance. A morose atmosphere permeates through, as lead singer Sture’s devilish snarl leads us further into the deep dark depths of hell. At times the rigid black metal elements wear a little thin; however the interjections of synth and none blast beat led track ‘Ætti sitt Fjedl’ offers some release from the relentless monotony. Tracks such as ‘Haust’ and ‘Sólverv’ have almost a Darkthrone-esque quality, whereas ‘Geitaskadl’ is a full on thrash metal assault, full of vigor and bombast. Final track ‘Fridom Med Daudens Klang’ is laden with atmospheric embellishments, a tolling church bell, war sirens, tense drum beat and haunting synth all obscured by an incongruous bass line that kills the premise of the bleak introduction.

The production is a little thin but representative of the minimalistic icy black metal sound that the Norwegians seem to craft so well. Groundbreaking and innovative this album is not; nevertheless it does what it needs to and to a credible standard. Not really pushing any boundaries but solid reliable black metal, which to be honest I never really tire of.

 

6.5/10

 

HEATHER BLEWETT