Strangely Arousing
For a press release to claim, 'their most mature effort to date', for an album called 'Bondage Goat Zombie' seems quite contradictory. But even on one listen the new album by Austrian black metallers Belphegor is a solid and well thought out slab of evil. It doesn't exactly avoid all the clichéd trappings of the genre, the band's logo is almost unreadable, there are upturned crosses and a crazed picture of a bondage goat with two of Belphagor's members on chain dog leads. First thoughts are of 'here we go again', but as mentioned earlier, the music really does the talking (well, shouting) and is one of the best black metal releases I've heard.
I use black metal as a loose term because there are elements of death metal knocking about. At times I could've been fooled into thinking I was listening to Anata or even early Children Of Bodom (and certainly not Bach or Mozart as claimed in the press release). Vocalist, or screamer is perhaps a better description, Hellmuth keeps the genres in check with his chilling growls and blood curdling screams. Apparently 'Bondage Goat Zombie' is a concept album influenced by the infamous 'Marquis De Sade'. It's tainted by diabolical possession and perversity yet you can't tell without the help of the lyrics (which I don't have). But Hellmuth is excellent with the use of his voice. He's very expressive and quite versatile, which all helps the variety and dynamics of the album.
The production is excellent and I would go as far to say it's the best production I've heard for an album of this sort. All the instruments are crisp and sit perfectly in the mix. Too many black metal albums are weakened by the overuse of reverb and half assed orchestration. Not on this occasion thankfully, the guitars are nice and loud which results in the riffs attempting to rip the flesh from your bones. 'Stigma Diabolicum' and 'Shred For Satham' especially, drive themselves into your brain, whereas 'Chronicles Of Crime' just makes mincemeat of those individual cells. There are touches of grandiose orchestration, but they are thankfully kept in the background to enhance the power rather than drive the songs.
For all the band's ridiculous imagery and laughable album title I can't deny that 'Bondage Goat Zombie' is an excellent piece of work. It seems a shame that it's tainted by such laughable banality, but had it not been would they still be seen as a credible black metal act? Strip away the imagery would they be just a death metal band or a black metal band? A debate for the forums of this world. All I know is that if you throw away the toss that goes with the genre you're left with an album that sounds great, has some great performances and a bucket load of killer ideas. The final few minutes also has the sound of a woman being whipped (probably by bondage goat zombie) over an excellent piece of lead guitar work…strangely arousing? Hell yeah!