FUNERAL MIST - Hekatomb

Release date June 15/18 (NoEvDia)

The last time I ran into Funeral Mist was in 2003 while imbibing their debut full length, Salvation. Given that vocalist/guitarist Arioch of Triumphator fame was in the band, it was no surprise that it proved to be a vicious black metal platter. The cover art (depicting Christ and two babies (one beheaded) crucified side-by-side) was the other dead give-away, of course. I missed the sophomore Maranatha issued in 2009, unfortunately.

Nine years later and Funeral Mist have now issued their third full length, Hekatomb. Arioch has since also taken over the mic for the mighty Marduk (under the stage name Mortuus), so he is part of no less than three of the most intense black metal units on God's fist-fucked planet. Talk about a triple threat.

It doesn't take long for the blitzkrieg to begin on this new one. Some foreboding bass with guitar scrapes suddenly give way to the outright brutal assault that is 'In Nomine Domini'. 'Naught But Death' follows in mid-tempo stomp with an atypical drum beat similar to 'The Blond Beast' from Marduk's Frontschwein release. However, overall this is predominantly a high-speed affair with some mid-tempo respites, made more vicious by Arioch's unmistakable gurgle vox. Some well-placed sound effects, the rantings of a child and faux-church choral singing are also scattered throughout adding to the blasphemous atmosphere.

Fans of Marduk, Triumphator, Setherial, Tsjuder et al will no doubt take to this like Trudeau to a photo-op. (Excuse the Canadian political reference.)

[7.5]