Lord Belial “Kiss The Goat” No Fashion Records (1995)

This is a release from Lord Belial's pure Black Metal days. The latest work, in comparison to this, is slow and lacks the rage and depth. It's astonishing to see a band with such aggression go mellow but then, it's a natural cycle. Worthy heirs of Marduk, Bathory & Dissection styles but witha few diference, they are must melodic in the riffs guitars.

Coming back to the album, this is your typical mid-90's Black Metal album with an underground production, lots of double-bass and rhythm. But there's twist here. Lord Belial use a unique formula in this album. They've mixed the melodic elements of Black Metal with the raw elements in a near-perfect mix. For instance, the last riffs of "Grace of God" are slow, atmospheric and melodic compared to the rawness of the rest of the track. 

This album was released with Lord Belial's first record label - the same one that wouldn't release "Purify Sweden". Lord Belial, as a result, don't have too many good things to say about them but ironically, this album's turned out to be one of their finest with tracks such as "In The Light Of The Fullmoon" with it's glorified pagan elements topped with melodic guitaring and some very poetic lyrics and "Hymn Of The Ancient Misanthropic Spirit Of The Forest", where the keyboard's used to perfection in the second riff and the unrelenting pace that is carried throughout the song, the exceptions being the keyboard-driven melodic interludes. However, Lord Belial have not been able to achieve this brilliance in all their tracks, that's what pulls the album down. Tracks such as "Osculum Obscenum" and "The Ancient Slumber" can become downright boring - and that's a pity since some other tracks are exceptionally good.

Track list from this album is:  

"Hymn of the Ancient Misanthropic Spirit of the Forest" 
"Satan Divine" 
"Grace of God" 
"The Ancient Slumber" 
"Into the Frozen Shadows" 
"The Art of Dying" 
"Osculum Obscenum"
"Mysterious Kingdom"
"In the Light of the Fullmoon" 
"Lilith - Demonic Queen of the Black Light"
"Bleed on the Cross" 

This album was a record from No Fashions Records in 1995. Overall, this album from one of Sweden's "unsung" Black Metal bands is definitely worth a listen. Some of its greatness deserves a lot more attention that it's got. It won't be very easy trrying to find this album 10 years after it's release, but if you're a Black Metal fan with a flare for rare stuff, this one is for you. The line up in this records was: Vassago in guitars & vocals, Dark in vocals & guitars, Bloodlord in the bass, Sin in the drums and Lilith guest female vocals in a few songs. 

The notion that this album leans more in a death metal direction than otherwise are not without some basis, though is usually blown pretty well out of proportion. The dimensions of the album are a bit more rhythm section heavy than the typical 1991-1994 Norwegian take on the style, often times featuring prominent bass passages that are occasionally technical by comparison, and a drum sound that is louder and heavier than usual, almost to the point of sounding like a thrash drummer playing in a black metal band. The vocal lines of Thomas "Dark" Backelin are similarly caught between two worlds, sounding just as much like a mortified and high-pitched version of Chuck Schuldiner as that of a Norwegian screamer, though a heavy influence from Ihsahn is definitely there.

A few links from this album .

Lord Belial

Here this format vinyl for very metalheads arround the world, the design are amazing and to much evil, the vinyl colour is purpure like  had to leave from the first press edition on CD & cassettes format, anyway this album are very unholy and blasphemous, but too creative when the darkness sounds prevails in all the songs. 

Hail Lord Belial!!!

ANTON