By: Richard Maw
Album Type: Full Length
Date Released:
Label: Nuclear
Blast
Once
again, as they have over the vast majority of their discography, Belphegor has produced an excellent album of the best
blackened death metal. This is every bit as good as anything else the band has
put out from one of the best extreme bands in the world, no question.
“Totenritual” CD//DD//LP track listing:
1. Baphomet (4:47)
2. The Devil's Son (4:20)
3. Swinefever - Regent Of Pigs (4:50)
4. Apophis - Black Dragon (6:12)
5. Totenkult - Exegesis Of Deterioration (5:43)
6. Totenbeschwörer (2:15)
7. Spell Of Reflection (5:21)
8. Embracing A Star (5:34)
9. Totenritual (2:46)
The Review:
Austria's
finest exponents of blackened death metal return with another feral storm of
blast beats, vicious riffing and blasphemous atmospherics. Belphegor
get everything right here- if 2014's “Conjuring
The Dead” was a little mechanical in production for some tastes (not mine,
I loved it!) then this is a slightly more organic proposition. From the get-go
of “Baphomet” the band are firing on
all cylinders, with blackened smoke belching from the exhaust.
The
sound of “Totenritual” is the sound
of a band invigorated. Belphegor have been
around for two decades plus now- hard to believe, but there it is. Helmuth and Serpenth are joined by Bloodhammer
this time around- not a session drummer, but a full time member. The band feels
complete and it is my hope that Bloodhammer
is in this for the long haul- his playing is fantastic; technical enough, very
quick and with a nice feel to it. Helmuth
and Serpenth are as on point as
usual and the mix is a little more forgiving this time around- the drums are
not as overpowering/high up in the speakers.
As
the album progresses, there is a nice uniformity to the tracks- “The Devil's Son” really ignited the
stereo- a classic Belphegor track- while “Swinefever” is just as effective,
albeit at a different pace. The black metal has perhaps been amplified a
little- particularly on tracks like “Apophis-
Black Dragon”, which utilises atmospheric riffing along with blast
sections, but the material never gets overly melodic. “Totenkult – Exegesis of Deterioration” is another epic with plenty
of changes and memorable riffs- something which elevates Belphegor
above most other bands in their sphere.
There
is also an instrumental on this nine track album; “Totenbeschworer”. The track has some some very doom like
atmospherics which sets up the rampaging “Spell
of Reflection” and the more restrained “Embracing A Star” (acoustic intro included!). The coup de grace
comes with “Totenritual” which is a
blasting beast of furious sounds until the final minute when the album plays
out to the sounds of acoustic guitar, sound effects and a pervading vibe of
darkness.
Once
again, as they have over the vast majority of their discography, Belphegor has produced an excellent album of the best
blackened death metal. This is every bit as good as anything else the band has
put out. Whether you favour the earlier menace of “The Last Supper”, the crazed sounds of “Bondage Goat Zombie” or the dialled up death metal of “Conjuring The Dead” you will find much
to enjoy here. One of the best extreme bands in the world, no question.
“Totenritual” is available here
