Bifrost - The Wildest Fire
Very cool Pagan Black/Death Metal, with older Thrash bits.
[Metal Curse #11 had an additional loose page (“Last Second Additions”) inserted into the centerfold of the zine, featuring a bunch of even-shorter-than-usual “bonus” reviews of stuff that arrived after the deadline for that issue. This is one of those “Last Second Additions” reviews.]
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Bhaobhan Sidhe - Jinx
It’s difficult to describe the unholy darkness of this Electronic two-man band. It’s the feeling of Black Metal, but there are no guitars, only keyboards, drum machines and so on. It is eerie, but not in the expected “movie soundtrack” kind of way. A very unique and interesting release.
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Betrayer - The Truth Is Out There
These guys like to change their sound with every release. This time they’ve gone back to a human drummer and a more Thrashy style, although the repetitive riffs still remind me of the Industrial feel of their last demo. I’ve got to respect these gentlemen for following their hearts and not any trends, but despite the excellent playing on this, I just didn’t find the songs to be very memorable or intriguing.
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Bethlehem - Dark Metal
This is not a new album, but rather their first LP, from 1994, licensed from Adipocere, and like the original version, this also contains both tracks from their Thy Pale Dominion 7-inch. And at nearly 70 minutes long, this is quite a value. The album’s title says it all, really. The tracks here are generally heavier and less traditionally Black Metal sounding (especially with respect to the vocals) than on their follow-up, Dictius Te Necare. If you don’t already own this, you probably should.
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Bethlehem - Dictius Te Necare
The demise of their original singer has done nothing to calm this band down. If anything, they are actually more intense than on their debut, Dark Metal. The music ranges from a vicious Thrash onslaught (think along the lines of early Destruction), to moody, nearly Ambient passages, and the vocals keep up, transforming from the most tortured of shrieks, to subdued whispers. The CD is dedicated to all suicide victims, and after about 20 listens, I think I know why. Where’s my knife?
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Bathory - Blood on Ice
This ancient recording finally sees the light of day, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The past few Bathory CDs haven’t exactly been inspirational, and Quorthon’s solo album was truly pathetic, so I was more than a little worried that the venerable inspiration to a whole legion of current Black Metal outfits might fuck this up, too. However, my concerns were unfounded. This look into the past (recorded in ‘88 and ‘89, but not completed & mixed until 1996) brings back some memories of what this band once was, and hopefully it has brought something back to Quorthon, too. The music, for the most part, has a Thrashy, yet Doomy (in some places even majestic) feel, but there is much experimentation here. I’m happy to finally be able to once again recommend a Bathory album.
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Bastard Noise - Our Earth’s Blood Part III
Noise is right. This sounds like a horrific nightmare of crushed hopes and dreams. And then there’s the other side. The one with lyrics. It’s nearly as intensely sick musically, and the vox are just screamed over top of it. Normally that might not be cool, but thanks to the lyrics and overwhelming soul-crushing nature of the “music,” this is nothing short of amazing. Plus it’s on translucent piss-green wax.
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Barkmarket - L Ron
The whiny vocals sort of remind me of Nine Inch Nails, while the music is kind of a tenth-rate Soundgarden rip-off, but a bit noisier. Easily forgettable.
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Baby Gopal - Baby Gopal
I guess the guys at Victory didn’t like the idea of being a Hardcore only label, since Baby Gopal are about as soft as humanly possible. These chicks are completely sugar-coated Alterna-Pop, with maybe 1% Punk influence. I wonder who their singer had to fuck to get them signed?
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