Lord Belial remains
a formidable force within Sweden's black metal legacy. Formed in 1992, they
were among the early architects of melodic black metal in Scandinavia,
balancing aggression and atmosphere with a consistent compositional style. Over
the decades, they delivered albums like "Enter The Moonlight Gate," "Unholy
Crusade," and "Nocturnal Beast," each contributing to the
shaping of the band’s grim, melodic character. After disbanding following
2008’s "The Black Curse," the band returned in 2022 with "Rapture,"
a focused and intense comeback that reintroduced their creative strength with a
renewed precision.
Now, in
2025, Lord Belial releases "Unholy
Trinity," recorded again at Sonic Train Studios with Andy LaRocque, whose familiarity with the band’s
sonic identity plays a crucial role in the album’s cohesiveness. The result is
a cold, relentless, and brooding work, firmly rooted in the traditions of
Scandinavian black metal but executed with the tightness and confidence of a
band well into its third decade.
The nine
tracks on "Unholy Trinity" flow with a harsh and unforgiving
momentum. Songs like "Serpent’s Feast," "Glory To Darkness,"
and "In Chaos Transcend" combine fierce tempos with an ever-present
undercurrent of melody, preserving the band’s well-known duality between icy
aggression and mournful harmony. The guitar work from Thomas
Backelin and Niclas Pepa Green alternates
between tremolo-picked fury and slower, eerie leads, giving each track a sense
of layered weight. The drumming by Micke Backelin remains
intense and consistent, providing the backbone of the album’s violent pulse.
“Unholy Trinity” doesn’t stray far from the path Lord Belial has trod since their inception—but it doesn’t need to. The atmosphere remains thick and oppressive, with a grim melodic streak that runs throughout. The addition of a guest solo by Andy LaRocque offers a subtle but effective texture without disrupting the album’s
From
beginning to end, the album remains unrelenting. The pacing is steady and
unified, drawing listeners into its oppressive, nocturnal world. "Antichrist"
and "The Whore" are among the darkest moments, both thematically and
musically, further solidifying the band's persistent vision. "The Great
Void" and "Scornful Vengeance" anchor the album’s latter half
with conviction and strength.
This is an
album made by veterans who know their craft and stick to what they do best:
cold, aggressive, and melodic black metal with a strong Scandinavian core.
Without branching into experimentation or excess, "Unholy Trinity" is
content in its intensity and scale.
Score: 8.0
No comments:
Post a Comment