Temple of Baal have spent years limbering up with split releases and the occasional full-length. Years of picking up fans and a few decent reviews here and there. Probably sweat, almost certainly blood although, I suspect, not very many tears: unless you are the poor souls being sacrificed to their dark and ancient lord of hosts. They’ve been pumping out black metal and rising on the wings of the burgeoning French scene led by the likes of mind-screwing Deathspell Omega, the experimental Blut Aus Nord and the, frankly, shit scary Aosoth. Temple of Baal have never quite found themselves in that premier league but they have made up for it in part with sheer determination, flashes of brilliance and even their detractors would have to admit they certainly know how to pack a punch. And if anything is likely to challenge the doubters out there, it is this, their latest release.
Verses of Fire is their fourth full-length in the past decade and it contains some great examples of what this band is capable of producing. In fact it’s here that all the blood and sweat seems at last to be counting for something and producing what was promised with their last album Light Slaying Rituals. Their sound has been battered, bruised, chiselled and honed to what, at times, can be quite a spectacular blackened death metal blast. It starts with a roaring statement of intent with “το αστέρι 418” before the album settles into its own coruscating groove. It’s a style of music that, like a spiked club, flying towards you, is best served screaming headlong in your face. But, that said, one of the most notable things about Verses of Fire is that the melody that has been creeping into the band’s sound is used brilliantly alongside the furious riffing blasts. It’s around the fourth track The 10th Aethyr that they begin to step things up into a different gear bringing the various elements of the band’s sound together and the following track Gates of death is such a solid, ear-bashing that it seems the group are determined to continue their frenetic upward trajectory to the end of the album.
They do so to a greater or lesser extent. But it is the epic 10 minute closer Walls of Fire that seals the deal. A missile of sacrificial, burning flesh raised up to ancient gods that cares little for anyone that gets in the way of its pulsing fury. In some ways the track represents everything the band has achieved on this album in comparison to previous efforts – a full frontal assault that employs surprising levels of tactical nuance and helped by some splendid production. As if all that they have learnt to date has been building towards that moment of hellish wrath that raises its ugly head from the mire to scream a challenge to its fellow countrymen and anyone else who cares to listen.
The worst that can be said about Verses of Fire is that it doesn’t have the artistry and subtlety for which many of the bands that make French scene are known. I’m not even saying this stuff hasn’t been done before But Temple of Baal’s genius here lies in the unholy shitstorm they manage to conjure up. The vocals screech out like some blasphemous spell but are as much a part of the wall of noise that hits you as the rest of the instruments. The sheer venomous passion with which Verses of Fire is delivered is the key and, credit where credit’s due, any album you can say that about deserves an extra helping of goat’s blood to smear on the virgin sacrifice.
(7.5/10 Reverend Darkstanley)
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