Lord Belial has reaffirmed his notoriety
After a long 14 years, the swedish black metal legend Lord Belial has unleashed in 2022 their 9th album, Rapture. It was good to know that one of my favorite metal bands had released a new demonic born. Before listening to the album for the first time, I was optimistic, knowing that the first three singles were impactful.
The first thing I would like to say is about the artwork. A dark representation seems to reveal the wrath of a demonic beast from the abyss, announcing a furious sound experience. The cover was designed by Mike Hrubovcak (ex-vocalist of Monstrosity), who has also created artwork for many other bands, including Avulsed and Aurora Borealis.
Like a thunderbolt, the first track Legion resonates with the power of ripping riffs and infernal blast beats, a distinctive touch of the Backelin brothers. Right from the very beginning, we can familiarize ourselves with the evil aura of Lord Belial. The musical violence knows no respite with On a Throne of Souls, where satanic elements are omnipresent. And the rhythm continues with insane intensity in Rapture of Belial, the riffs maintaining an atmosphere of chaos where every note seems to be a call from the depths of hell.
Rapture represents the abyss, hatred, rejection of life and imposed norms. I found this vision on the track Destruction when the lyrics resonate like a dark mantra: "Life is torment. Death is liberation. Destruction is all" All this is accompanied by a frenetic oppressive atmosphere with a change in nuance.
The band's anti-religion ideology is demonstrated once again on this album, particularly on the track Belie All Gods, which opens with a gloomy atmosphere accompanied by a loud cadence and a diabolical chant. The solo at the end of the song represents the heights of the album. Evil Incarnate is an example of the album's complexity, with a remarkable instrumental performance even before the vocal entry.
There is another song that testifies to the diabolical aspect of the album, Lux Luciferi, which begins with a uniform rhythm but becomes unstable. The song culminates with a masterfully executed solo. The next song, Infinite Darkness and Death, begins with a calm entry that is quickly replaced by an infernal rhythm, guaranteeing a deluge of blast beats and killer riffs.
My favorite song is Alpha and Omega. I felt in the vocals a hatred for all that is sacred. "I deny your beliefs, I deny your gods and prophets..." What a performance by Thomas ! As the seconds pass, the rhythm morphs and the melodies add an additional dimension to this hellish composition.
In conclusion, I would say that Rapture represents another Swedish black metal masterpiece. Personally, this album stands out as the second pillar of Lord Belial's art, just behind the legendary Enter The Moonlight Gate, released in 1997.