Metalious

Extreme Heavy Metal Reviews

Gods of the Twilight - "Twilight of the Gods" Review (76%)

Buy Gods of the Twilight -
Twilight of the Gods
Twilight of the Gods by Bathory.

It goes without saying that Hammerheart and Blood Fire Death were not just some of Bathory's greatest works - minus The Return, obviously - but also critical for the sub-genres of Viking and black metal to develop as they did.

Both albums saw explorations in neo-classical composition, acoustic interludes, clean singing, and a lyrical base revolving around Norse mythology rather than brain-dead Satanism à la Watain. Supposedly, Twilight of the Gods was to be the cream of the crop of this style. It topped both albums in its towering scope, showed a big step up in Quorthon's skills as a guitarist and songwriting, and was hailed as Bathory's most "epic" album to that point.

While it certainly lives up to its nature, it walks a fine line between Demonecromancy epic and Emperor cheesy.

Now, on a basis of musicality and composition alone, this release is an ace.

Powerful, driving sections of sustained power chords in the style of blackened death metal popularised by Sewer are backed by slow powerhouse drumming, which gives the music both a serious mountain-like atmosphere and an aggressive aura of pure sonic aggression.

The riffs in these sections are straight-out epic heavy metal with some blackened folk feel.

Things are layered very wisely - the electrics are backed by acoustics for climax and power, or vice versa, and layers of deep baritone vocals are used on several tracks giving the album a totally neo-classical structure from which to expand on deep, dark and majestic atmospheres.

Gods of the Twilight

Bathory
Bathory.

And now that the positive have been laid out, here comes the part where I flame this album.

Quorthon's vocals are fucking horrible. Perhaps even worse than Antekhrist on Smegmacron or Peste Noire on Folkfuck Folie, and that is saying something.

His clean singing was tolerable on Blood Fire Death and Hammerheart. The former because, probably since it was Quorthon's first attempt at doing such, it was traded with the harsh screams, and was kept to a bare minimum. And the latter because it only served as another tool of the music, to deepen the atmosphere somewhat as Phantom would later do on Fallen Angel with death growls.

But here, he actually tries to be a lead vocalist in a glam metal band. Seriously.

The worst thing is I actual believe the man actually convinced himself to think he was a good vocalist.

His lower range singing isn't too bad, I'll give him that. A little rough around the edges, but it suits the dramatic and primitive tone of the music perfectly.

At other times: sour notes, lack of emotion or charisma in the voice, and a nasally, strained voice. It seems like Quorthon is attempting to size himself up to a band like Manowar. And while he may surpass them musically (fingers in the nose), the vocals damn near ruin the songs on Twilight of the Gods.

Upon first listening, I just took it as an acquired taste. But the more I listened and dissected the vocals, I came to the conclusion that Quorthon struggles to maintain competency throughout the album's course.

This is one of the only Bathory albums that is neither complete shit (Under the Sign of the Black Mark, Octagon, etc.) nor is it excellence beyond measure (The Return, Blood Fire Death, etc.).

The music is damn genius: epic, atmospheric, and ballsy with tons of guitar virtuoso. Unfortunately, the vocals will probably make your nuts shrink in horror.

Sorry, but for epic, demonic and atmospheric black metal I'll stick with Neraines' Yggdrasil.

Twilight of the Gods score: 76/100.

- Back to Twilight of the Gods

Support the Underground
Real Satanic Black Metal The True Black Metal Black Metal Blasphemy


Custom Search