Denial of God - Death and the Beyond
Funny story how I discovered this self-proclaimed Black Horror Metal band. Being such a pathetic Katatonia fanboy in the mid-to-late ’90s, all it took was a quick glance at a photo of Anders (or Blakkheim as he was known back then) in some long-forgotten Euro zine wearing what I thought was a Denial of God shirt. Through the power of not having any bills, I had a copy of Klabautermanden a week later. Turns out it wasn’t a Denial of God shirt, but I kept the EP anyway because… it wasn’t bad. They somehow fell off the face of the Earth to me after that and, like clockwork, every few years I consider selling it. Then I listen to it again just to be sure and always end up keeping it because… it still isn’t bad. Fast-forward a couple decades and I’m staring at new LP Death and the Beyond in total shock that they’re still a band! What’s equally amazing is that their sound has been, for the most part, completely unmolested by time. Sure the production’s better, they’ve condensed from a quartet to a trio, and the pace isn’t quite as consistently speedy as the old days, but the attack and feel are still identical. Mid-paced to fast Black Metal in the style of the Second Wave (of which they were arguably a part), with symphonic elements and a flair for the theatrical. Don’t think Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir, it’s a bit more grim and dirtier than that. Closer to Ancient and Darkthrone hanging out in their primes. The album’s greatest strength might be the gravelly yet intelligible voice of Ustumallagam. Vocals in league with any church-burner you’d care to mention. If there’s one flaw it’s the ridiculous length of the songs. Eight tracks at 62 minutes? Guys, I got shit to do. Maybe cut back on the narrative bits a little? Play me a song, don’t read me a story. When they go straight for the throat, as on the downright Doomy “Funeral” and the anthemic riff/melody parade of “Behind the Coffin’s Lid,” they’re at their deadliest. Sadly, not long after this effective one-two punch, the record (along with its listener) falls asleep. It’s not as though it’s ever terrible, just boring. Most likely because it’s about 20 minutes longer than it needs to be. I’ll probably still hang onto it though… it isn’t bad.
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