With the Lords of Chaos movie dropping in cinemas this year, outside interest in black metal has returned, with those unfamiliar to the genre being exposed to the chaotic and urban legend filled origins of the genre’s first major movement in Norway. As a result, I figured I’d take a look at one of the black metal releases from last year that piqued my interest, and for that, I’ve chosen Unholy Baptism with their latest offering, Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude.
Despite the name, Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude is not the first album by Unholy Baptism. Rather, this sophomore effort serves as the beginning of a trilogy of albums by the Arizona duo following a united concept, exploring the human condition and occultist theism. Describing their sound as a mix of “mid 2000's new wave black metal with the grim tone of the early Norwegian scene”, the band has gone for the raw production style of the infamous Norwegian scene, with thin guitar tones and tinny drums, but adding a more complex and melodic approach to songwriting, as well as (somewhat) audible bass, more akin to modern black metal. The successful fusion of genres is immediately apparent from opening track “These Scars Are Wounds Unhealed”, and continues throughout. The drum work, while programmed by Moloch and Mantus, is par for the course in this genre and doesn’t do anything with particularly stands out, but but it carries the songs well and provides a decent basis for the rest of the instrumentation to flow, dictating the pace of the songs.
Vocalist Mantus has a very typical modern black metal rasp which will appeal to most black metal fans, but may not sit so well with others. As he snarls through more aggressive tracks like “Shattered”, and even wails like he’s Dani Filth on “Peering Into the Flames of Enlightenment”, he scrapes the linings of his vocals chords in a way that would make a vocal coach wince. While standard for the genre, one still has to wonder if Mantus’s technique may be causing damage to his throat. However, that is a matter for the musician himself to consider. Regarding what is on The Bonds of Servitude, he retains a remarkable consistency, if somewhat unvaried. But then again, black metal is not a genre concerned with diverse musicianship. As long as the songwriting is good, the production is as unforgiving as the music, and the songs are consistent, you have a good album, and that’s what Unholy Baptism have achieved here. With that said, album highlight “Whispers of Power Eternal” does push the melodic envelop a fair bit more than other tracks on the album do, including clean and acoustic guitar tones to add to the melancholic nature of the track.
Unfortunately, the end of the album tends to drag on a bit. “Peering Into the Flames of Enlightenment” melts into “Noctis Maleficarum” and the two don’t particularly manage to stand out from each other all that much, while the track lengths get longer as the album reaches its climax. Longer songs can work when there’s enough going on to attract the listener’s attention, but there are moments in The Bonds of Servitude’s closing tracks which feel as though they drag on too long, and don’t particularly hold your attention as much as they perhaps could have. With that said, there are still plenty of moments where the two members of Unholy Baptism really show off their musicianship on these tracks (and throughout the album, for that matter) and one has to step back and admire their talent when they really hit their stride. With two more albums in the trilogy to come, you are left wondering where they will take their music next.
Unholy Baptism’s new album Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude is out now (self-released). Stream and purchase the album below, and follow the band on Facebook.
Despite the name, Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude is not the first album by Unholy Baptism. Rather, this sophomore effort serves as the beginning of a trilogy of albums by the Arizona duo following a united concept, exploring the human condition and occultist theism. Describing their sound as a mix of “mid 2000's new wave black metal with the grim tone of the early Norwegian scene”, the band has gone for the raw production style of the infamous Norwegian scene, with thin guitar tones and tinny drums, but adding a more complex and melodic approach to songwriting, as well as (somewhat) audible bass, more akin to modern black metal. The successful fusion of genres is immediately apparent from opening track “These Scars Are Wounds Unhealed”, and continues throughout. The drum work, while programmed by Moloch and Mantus, is par for the course in this genre and doesn’t do anything with particularly stands out, but but it carries the songs well and provides a decent basis for the rest of the instrumentation to flow, dictating the pace of the songs.
Vocalist Mantus has a very typical modern black metal rasp which will appeal to most black metal fans, but may not sit so well with others. As he snarls through more aggressive tracks like “Shattered”, and even wails like he’s Dani Filth on “Peering Into the Flames of Enlightenment”, he scrapes the linings of his vocals chords in a way that would make a vocal coach wince. While standard for the genre, one still has to wonder if Mantus’s technique may be causing damage to his throat. However, that is a matter for the musician himself to consider. Regarding what is on The Bonds of Servitude, he retains a remarkable consistency, if somewhat unvaried. But then again, black metal is not a genre concerned with diverse musicianship. As long as the songwriting is good, the production is as unforgiving as the music, and the songs are consistent, you have a good album, and that’s what Unholy Baptism have achieved here. With that said, album highlight “Whispers of Power Eternal” does push the melodic envelop a fair bit more than other tracks on the album do, including clean and acoustic guitar tones to add to the melancholic nature of the track.
Unfortunately, the end of the album tends to drag on a bit. “Peering Into the Flames of Enlightenment” melts into “Noctis Maleficarum” and the two don’t particularly manage to stand out from each other all that much, while the track lengths get longer as the album reaches its climax. Longer songs can work when there’s enough going on to attract the listener’s attention, but there are moments in The Bonds of Servitude’s closing tracks which feel as though they drag on too long, and don’t particularly hold your attention as much as they perhaps could have. With that said, there are still plenty of moments where the two members of Unholy Baptism really show off their musicianship on these tracks (and throughout the album, for that matter) and one has to step back and admire their talent when they really hit their stride. With two more albums in the trilogy to come, you are left wondering where they will take their music next.
Unholy Baptism’s new album Volume I: The Bonds of Servitude is out now (self-released). Stream and purchase the album below, and follow the band on Facebook.