The legendary doom metal band are back with another reissue, this time their classic Messiah of Confusion album. Originally released in 1996, this album has been given the reissue treatment and sounds as fresh as ever.
Starting with the low thrum of Prediction, the song veers from one dark place to another, whilst the guitars and the vocals take you on a journey that leaves you breathless and demanding more. A demand met by the next song on the record, Shadow Box. This is a faster number where the guitars and the drums channel their inner Sabbath and produce one rocky number, that tells the story of all sorts of chaotic madness. The Loneliest One is dark and foreboding, the vocals are filled with dread and doom. Fallen Angels is big, bombastic and right to the point, with a riff that would terrify even Tony Iommi with how heavy it is. Mountains Spirit, is dark, but in a different manner to say Loneliest One, this song contains elements of different genres, and flickers between one version to another, never staying for too long. The Lie of Life is thrashy, the riffs are big, bold and demonstrative, the vocals follow a sharp melodic pattern and all around the song is one hell of a metal anthem.
P.S.I Power is a darker take on some classic metal grooves. The riffs are filled with rhythm and groove, the vocal melodies are sharp and focused. Overall this is a great start to the second half of the album. Shine is deep, slow, groovy and just an all out badass song. The melodies are crucial as they cover the swagger and darkness inherit in the song. Regression is classic doom, the riff is the devil’s tritone, and the vocals are demonic, a brilliant song. The Divided World is an anthem, with big vocals, bigger guitar riffs and solid rhythm section. The Viking Sea is slower more reflective, and definitely a song that would fit well on any number of Bathory albums. A brilliant closer.
The album will be out on 15th June via Metal Blade Records.