Blight have been crafting their blackened art for more than a decade in which time, as far as I can see, they’ve released about four EPs for your delight. Spinning through, things seemed to have reached a kind of brutalised blackened death metal sound for the Canadian’s on the most recent, 2016’s the Teachings, with a serious nod towards Behemoth but with plenty of other flourishes to keep things feeling fresh such as a whiff of Rotting Christ and even hardcore (several of the band’s members used to be in deathcore band Insect). But despite the previous activity this amounts to the Canadian’s literal debut album and a signing to Svart. It feels like some of the more ominous, black moments from the previous EPs has been stripped back a little and the production cleaned up to produce an even more punchy sound, something like like Denouncement Pyre or Outre with plenty of Deathspell Omega discord thrown in. The hardcore element (especially the vocals) still remains giving a Henry Rollins meets blackened death metal as well as the bringing the bands obsession with the occult to the fore.
We get treated to Aleister Crowley’s infamous ‘Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law’ early on in proceedings if you hadn’t already caught on to the band’s cult leanings. And the sound, which can fairly be described as punishing, is delicately splattered with some brooding moments using well-placed blackened twangs and Gabriel McCaughry’s shift from his hardcore rasp to menacing, clean vocals. The end result is a blast even though Temple of Wounds seems like a good starting point for the band to build on rather than the culmination of 10 years work. I have to say, for my tastes, the most recent EP hits the spot a little more than this release which seems to have abandoned subtlety for a much more in-you-face pummelling. I’m not saying Temple of Wounds isn’t without craft – it’s an album that lunges at you and then ducks back to issue brooding taunts before lunging again. But I’d have like to see some of the interesting elements from their past mixed in a little more and, with the band’s obvious musical ability, that would have made this stand out a lot more rather than feeling just a little too familiar (particularly for anyone that’s overdosed on Deathspell Omega). Meanwhile, this will have plenty of fans and anyone who likes their metal uncompromising, bare chested and with fists, razors and inverted crosses flying may find this a real treat.
(7/10 Reverend Darkstanley)
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