Artist: Belphegor
Title: Conjuring The Dead
Genre: Black Metal, Death Metal
Release Date: 8th August 2014
Label: Nuclear Blast
Album Review
BELPHEGOR is an Austrian Black/ Death Metal band, founded in 1991. So far, they have released ten studio records, the latest one, ‘Conjuring The Dead’, following up on 2011’s ‘Blood Magick Necromance’. The band is currently signed to Nuclear Blast Records.
‘Conjuring The Dead’ opens up with ‘Gasmask Terror’, which presents a typically BELPHEGOR sounding track with fast guitar work; harsh, speedy drums alongside low growls. The enclosing title track continues as a slightly slower and grooving mid-tempo track with crushing heaviness and a slower interlude towards the end. ‘In Death’ provides a more versatile and furious song structure as well as rhythmic changes, whereas ‘Rex Tremendae Majestatis’ opens up with an interesting and partly acoustic melody. This is taken up in slower, more atmospheric parts throughout the song, which creates a dense and dark mood.
After a female, presumably Latin-spoken intro, ‘Black Winged Torment’ offers another blasting and diabolic track, which seems to be owing quite a decent amount of Death Metal influences. This is further underlined by a very energetic and powerful production, provided by Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal). ‘The Eyes’ serves as an acoustic, melodic interlude, illustrating skilled and harmonic guitar work. ‘Legions of Destruction’ features two well-known guest singers from Mayhem and Deicide. The title features a more epic sounding chorus. ‘Flesh, Bones And Blood’ continues as another slower, grooving title with occasional disharmonic melodies, whereas ‘Lucifer, Take Her!’ includes screams, partially German lyrics and a contrastive mixture of fast and tardy parts.
Moreover, acoustic parts are occasionally to be heard as well as an unexpected and blurred transition to the final track ‘Pactum In Aeternum’, which concludes the album in a calm, unexcited way. ‘Conjuring The Dead’ surely marks a solid Black/ Death Metal album, which at times shows resemblance to early works of the band while also including atmospheric and varied elements. Compared to their previous record, ‘Conjuring The Dead’ surely marks as an improvement in BELPHEGOR’s own style.
Tracklist
01. Gasmask Terror
02. Conjuring The Dead
03. In Death
04. Rex Tremendae Majestatis
05. Black Winged Torment
06. The Eyes
07. Legions Of Destruction
08. Flesh, Bones And Blood
09. Lucifer, Take Her!
10. Pactum In Aeternum
Line-up
Helmuth - Heretic Grunts, Chainsaw
Serpenth - Bass Devastator, Back. Vox
Marthyn- Drums [Live, Studio]
Schoft - Guitar, Back. Vox [Live]
Website
www.belphegor.at / www.facebook.com/belphegor
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 8
Extras: -
Total: 7.5/ 10
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