Black metal is enjoying unprecedented respectability thanks to bands like In Flames and Cradle of Filth, but what’s more important is the level of songwriting that’s begun to rise dripping out of the murk. Raw-throated demon-mocking vocals are one thing that separate Lord Belial from goth hard-rock like Fields of the Nephilim, hyperspeed bass-drumming and punk-like speed-jams here and there are another, but unlike their great-grandfathers Celtic Frost and Venom, Lord Belial table some vicious melody and incorporate a few odd elements – military snare in “Abysmal Hate,” angelic chick vocals in “Scythe of Death” – in a sincere effort to either reinvent the genre or pull a crossover angle out of their hat. This fifth album from the band should be taken as a serious throw-down, and more importantly, a record that targets a wider spectrum than their stubbornly obtuse competition. Order from Amazon.com
