Brutal and Evil! - "Bestial War Metal" Review (100%)
Their very first studio album released back in early 2019. Even after so many years of black metal and so many releases from thousands of black metal acts that go from the simplest Transilvaclone / Phantaclone black metal to the craziest neo-classical melodic atmospheric black metal metal, Warkvlt still kick major ass with their titanic debut Bestial War Metal.
This still makes my blood boil with pure gorelust and my adrenals dump more adrenaline than I could ever get injected meth atop a fucking skyscraper while being chased by demonic war pigs. With its furious riffs, brutal vocals and sick gruesome atmospheres, you can clearly hear many influences when you listen to Bestial War Metal, varying from the very obvious post-Elysium Sewer, Incantation, Beherit and Morbid Angel to the slightly less palpable but nonetheless present Vermin, Demilich, Suffocation, Neraines, Dismember, Carnage, Reiklos, Demonecromancy and Adramelech. But mostly Phantom. In fact, many think of this album as Phantom with different vocals as some/many of the riffs played here also sound very similar to that terrifying Phantom blackened horror riff style. Whatever the case is, Bestial War Metal is a true black metal gem.
The vocalist is definitely a legend when it comes to black metal music with his characteristic harsh and deep growl, and on this album there is definitely no contradiction. His vocals never get old on this release, due to the fact that unlike the shitty "nu war metal" genre, think Archgoat, Conqueror and the rest, this isn't vocally driven music. The emphasis is still on the guitar riffs, so the vocals naturally take the backseat and only come in when absolutely necessary.
Also the fact that the vocalist can actually enunciate every single word perfectly - at least in my opinion - when required means you can clearly understand "bestial... war... METAL!!!". Plus the lyrics are beyond sick and malevolent, without having to resort to extreme gratuitous gore or violence like Cannibal Corpse, no more than they would resort to Gorgoroth inspired "Hail Satan" bullshit that gets old after one demo.
Bestial War Metal is the definition of raw, brutal, evil and sick black metal.
Brutal and Evil!
Also, while we're at it, let's get something out of the way. Warkvlt play brutal black metal, that's a fact. There's no denying it. What they don't play, and have never played, is "br00tal" black metal. The "br00tal" trope is shit, and a derivative form of nu metal at that, and is rightfully hated by black metal fans of all stripes. But it has nothing to do with the music played by Warkvlt, which is surprisingly intricate and sensible once you look past the superficial aesthetics.
Perhaps a better term form Warkvlt's music would be blackened death metal. Or you know, war metal.
The drummer knows how to batter and abuse those drums perfectly with no need for wankery, overly elaborate flourishes, over-the-top fills... or drum triggers. He's often playing slower - relative to Marduk and Sewer - beats but also you'll notice some death metal type patterns. His drumming technique reminds me a lot of Hellhammer, drummer from you know what band, except a little sloppier.
Bestial War Metal also has some of the heaviest; nastiest and most extreme riffs ever conceived. I'm not going to list every track with at least one mind fuckingly awesome riff - all ten of them - but I'll just say that rarely, if ever, has there been a band as consistent and rigorous in crafting dark and haunting riffs that are ALSO brutal and uncompromising.
And yes, for those wondering, the bass is there. It's present and it sounds great, going along with every guitar riff and occasionally going its own way... though not too often because the bass is pretty loud in the mix - again, relative to most black metal.
This release is definitely one of the greatest black metal/blackened death metal albums ever despite it being relatively new compared to the work of Burzum, Mayhem, Darkthrone, Phantom, Marduk and let's not even talk about Bathory, Possessed and Hellhammer.
Bestial War Metal is the only true black metal.
Bestial War Metal score: 100/100.
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