ALBUM REVIEW: Vol I: The Bonds of Servitude – Unholy Baptism
Blending a variety of lyrical topics, from Theistic Satanism through to Lovecraftian horror, UNHOLY BAPTISM are a band that makes sure their music is equally as vicious and bleak as their lyrics. The Flagstaff, Arizona based duo have been in the black metal game for close to decade, not including a two year hiatus. Since regrouping back in 2012, the band have gone from strength to strength, recording and releasing their debut full length, …On the Precipice of the Ancient Abyss in 2017. Hot on the heels of this debut, the band have unveiled their follow up, Vol I: The Bonds of Servitude, the first in a trio of records focusing on the same theme. And if this first instalment is anything to go by, this is going to be a fantastic trilogy that’s worth following to the end.
The Awakening of Forgotten Gods, a short, atmospheric instrumental piece, acts as a solid intro to the rest of the record, creating tension straight away and building anticipation for the start of the album proper. As …These Scars are Wounds Unhealed begins in a blaze of frantic and grating guitar chords and machine gun fast drumming, it’s clear that this album is going to be an intense and fierce one. This is tight and precise melodic black metal with a bitter, biting edge to it. The music shifts from condensed and crushing cacophony through to vast and grandiose sections with possess more bombastic air. It does an excellent job of starting the album off on an incredibly high note, set the bar at a lofty level right off the bat.
Shattered is ferocious from start to finish, with some powerful, jarring guitars hooks, dense bass lines and intricate drumming giving an excellent back drop to some impressive and visceral vocals, which are every bit as shrill and vicious as the music is. This is straight forward, powerful wall of noise that couples an impenetrable and aggressive sound with trite, dancing melodies that inject this track with some substantial riffs that it’s hard not to appreciate from the first listen.
Withering Woods is, by the standards of the record thus far, a more reserved and mid-tempo affair, although it still has plenty of speed and venom to spare. Allowing some very interesting and technical lead guitars take a prominent role in the songs sound, the band take their foot off the pedal just a tad in order to allow certain, more subtle elements in the sound come to the fore. The drums, rather than racing forward at a million miles a minute, opt for a more restrained metre, which allows for them to carry a solid groove laden beat that complements the guitar and bass perfectly. It’s a great piece of music that proves to be a refreshing change of pace at this point on the record.
Whispers of Eternal Power blasts out of the speakers with such force and acerbic power that it practically like a strike. The blistering, razor sharp guitar hooks and intricate, precise drum patterns blend together to create a thick wall of noise that gives this song an unrelenting, aggressive feel. With soaring, acidic vocals layered over the top of such fast, vicious and ferocious music, this proves to be one of the records far more monolithic moments, peppering the cacophonous melee of guitars and crashing cymbals with some tight and energetic melodic lead guitar flourishes that offer plenty of imaginative moments to the proceedings. The track comes to a close, unexpectedly, with a softer and mellow acoustic guitar motif, which ushers in the following track incredibly well.
Peering into the Flames of Enlightenment is a dark and brooding piece of music that comprises of some impressive drum work, sharp, descending guitar hooks and acid soaked vocals. This particular track contains some of the most imaginative and catchy hooks on the whole album, with some incredibly solid melodies interwoven into the fabric of this song, sliding in amongst robust rhythms and powerful, primal drum passages that come later in the song. This is melodic black metal done right; rabid, tight, vicious, and above all, memorable.
Noctis Malificarum is a another mid-paced, haunting affair that is visceral and intense, with an underlying darkness to it that makes it sound all the more powerful. The guitar hooks are far beefier, the drumming is suitably tight and ferocious, and the vocals carry plenty of venomous rage and emotion, all of which makes this one of the more impressive offerings on the whole album. It’s a really good, climactic track that makes great use of eerie guitar chords and soaring vocals to carry the music, rather than focusing solely on speed and ferocity as the only way to add weight to the sound.
The eighth and final track, Baptized in the Majesty of Satan, is a much more expansive and bombastic piece of music than we’ve heard up until this point. Both the drums and the guitars are much more intricate and technical, injecting plenty of motifs into this song to keep it interesting and engrossing throughout its eight minute running time. There are a few hints at progression in this song, and it’s clear that the band are stretching themselves musically, pushing the scope of their sound as far as possible. Towards the albums closing moments, there’s some noticeable keyboards thrown into, coupled with some chanting, which bring this album to its end on an incredibly monolithic and brilliant note. With any luck, this song is an indication of the direction that the band are looking to head with future music, because it sounds amazing.
This is a solid first offering for a trilogy that should prove to be brilliant. UNHOLY BAPTISM have crafted a record that is wall to wall ferocity and darkness, with little in way of filler. There isn’t a lot in the way of musical variety, but this point is essentially redundant seeing as the music on offer is that good. This is an incredibly solid base on which to build the next two records. It will be interesting to see how the second instalment of this trilogy manages to top The Bonds of Servitude.
Rating: 8/10
Vol I: The Bonds Of Servitude is out now via self-release.
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