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Album Info:
Release dates for: Walpurgis Rites � October 20th (U.S&Canada) October 2nd (Europe) Record Label: Nuclear Blast PRE-ORDER: Walpurgis Rites
List Price: $13.98 Price: $13.98 Artist info: Official Website:
Belphegor- Walpurgis Rites � Hexenwahn Belphegor, some call them death metal; others say they are black metal but most call them blackened death metal. Since my stance on labeling the almighty metal genres is well known, I am not even gonna comment here. *g* This Austrian band around vocalist Helmuth (only original member) is no stranger to releasing some very impressive albums. And with their newest release Walpurgis Rites � Hexenwahn they are on par with adding another masterpiece to their impressive catalog. Behind the producer�s chair once again is Andy Classen, who has done all of Belphegor�s Nuclear Blast releases in addition to their debut album.
After the 2008 release Bondage Goat Zombie got such mixed reviews I was looking forward to give the new piece a thorough listening.Right off the bat the album starts with the enormously fast song Walpurgis Rites. Skull crushing blast beats until your ears bleed and tremolo picking up the ass makes this by far the fastest song on the entire album. Only Reichswehr In Blood comes even close to the opening track.
Belphegor uses a healthy mix of death and black metal elements, and even some thrown in thrash riffs are parading through out the entire album.As usual the signature tremolo picking is dominant in every song, but the riffs are much more memorable and not as sloppy. The complex harmonic melodies don�t take away from the overall atmosphere of this new release. The word doomish comes to mind, even though most songs are heavy on blast beats. Luckily the use of cymbals is very well placed and gives most songs that extra little something that would otherwise be lost with endless fills.
The other tracks are more mid paced but don�t get me wrong, still the good ole� Belphegor style.
Veneratio Diaboli - I Am Sin is by far the longest song. Starting out fast und furious it lures you into a fantastic piece of dynamic guitar riffs, superb death growls, and superior drumming. Coming in on just over 7 minutes this piece sets the tone for the entire album.
Helmuth really shines with his wide range of vocal abilities on this new album. His growls come over deep and his screeches are nerve wreaking. I really do enjoy the song Der Geistertreiber, particular because they opted to forgo the usual guitar madness and make this piece much more bass oriented. In my opinion it has a little bid of a Rammstein vibe to it.Lyric wise, well,�if I have to explain you wouldn�t understand. Just listen to Hail The New Flesh and you know what I mean.
Hexenwahn, the last piece on the album is the perfect outro. The sound of crows and church bells adds a nice touch to the end of a very good album.
Review By: Brigit Haugen
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