Countess - Blazing Flames Of War

[skeptik]

On August 7, 1560, Erszébet Báthory was born. Exactly 447 years later, on August 7, 2007, the new Countess album will be unleashed upon the world.

Dutch ‘Orthodox Black Metal’ legends Countess have announced details of their upcoming eleventh full-length album, scheduled for release through their long-time label Barbarian Wrath.

The album was recorded between September 2006 and January 2007, is entitled “Blazing Flames Of War” and features the following tracks:

1. Blazing Flames Of War (3:04)
2. Scarlet Witch Queen (8:09)
3. Blood Orgy (2:35)
4. Burning Sea (5:25)
5. Winter Solstice (4:06)
6. Gods Of My Fathers (5:05)
7. Messalina (5:32)
8. Wail Of The Banshee (3:12)
9. Swords Shine In The Highlands (12:15)
10. Fields Of Athenry (4:22)

In addition, the album features two special bonus tracks, details of which are yet to be revealed.

For a taste of what’s to come, check out “Winter Solstice” on the official Countess myspace page: www.myspace.com/orthodoxblackmetal

Now in their sixteenth year of existence, Countess feel confident that their sound has remained untainted by whatever trend or fashion and stands as strong as it ever has. In fact, “Blazing Flames Of War” may very well be band’s finest effort to date, combining relentless aggression with a grand epic atmosphere, all harnassed by an excellent production. Countess are convinced this new album easily surpasses its already acclaimed predecessors “Spawn Of Steel” and “Holocaust Of The God Believers” as well as ancient classics like “Ad Maiorem Sathanae Gloriam” and “The Book Of The Heretic”.

For anybody that is actually a fan of this band, I can't imagine anyone being disappointed in this new track. The vocals are finally back up to par after the annoyingly staticy productions on the last two albums, and musically this is the strongest Orlok has been since Ad Maiorem Sathanae Gloriam. I'm suddenly greatly anticipating this release, I know that he's been working on this one for a long time. I wonder if Ancient Lies And Battlecries is ever going to happen, as that was originally the album that he had planned to put out instead of Holocaust Of The God Believers, and then he said that Ancient Lies... was the next slated once again, but it seems to have been shelved once again. For anyone familiar with Orlok's recent tendencies, he has shelved a good 5 or 6 albums by now, though I imagine that a number of songs and ideas have found their way onto albums.

 

[swizzlenuts]

Whoa, this is fucking great! Less heavy metal, but still disgusting

 

[Vossyrus]

I think this band is vastly overrated. Maybe I haven't heard Countess' best, its catchy music I'll give you that, but still what I've heard is pretty mediocre and a bit 'silly' at times.

 

[skeptik]

Overrated? Nobody ever talks about them. This is Black Metal stemming from the original Bathory/Frost/Venom vein with a Heavy Metal articulation. No pomposity, no bullshit, Black Heavy Fucking Metal. The only album people ever talk about is Heilig Vuur because Falco once made a thread about it before it was released. Most of the people that listen to Countess around these parts are people I've introduced the band to, with the exception of Malignance and thisisaformicatable (that I'm aware of). Countess is, if anything, underrated.

 

[KevenZ]

i discovered them with The Book Of The Heretic (which is their best imo) in the 90s and each years i give a try to their new albums but i just don't like them.

 

[Mort Divine]

Yeah, this sounds pretty kickass so far.

 

[Alter]

I might try it.

 

[Jreg]

I always seem to miss the boat on his new records since he's always got a steady stream of new material it seems. But yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to this.

 

[Astrum]

I absolutely can not wait for this.

And the new track sounds very good to my ears.

 

[Zephyrus]

This may be a good way to get into this band. I've always considered checking out Countess and this song is telling me to make good on that consideration.

 

[Astrum]

Listen to Heilig Vuur, NOW. Basically perfect. One of my all time favorite black metal albums.

 

[Mort Divine]

Listen to Heilig Vuur, NOW. Basically perfect. One of my all time favorite black metal albums.

Heilig Vuur is my favorite too, but all of the albums are great (aside from the first one which is merely okay) so be sure to get them all.

 

[V.V.V.V.V.]

Excellent sounding track.

 

[Pessimism]

Now this is news I can appreciate!

 

[Vossyrus]

Overrated? Nobody ever talks about them. This is Black Metal stemming from the original Bathory/Frost/Venom vein with a Heavy Metal articulation. No pomposity, no bullshit, Black Heavy Fucking Metal. The only album people ever talk about is Heilig Vuur because Falco once made a thread about it before it was released. Most of the people that listen to Countess around these parts are people I've introduced the band to, with the exception of Malignance and thisisaformicatable (that I'm aware of). Countess is, if anything, underrated.

I can see your point. And I suppose whats underrated to some is overrated to others. It's just that whenever I hear about Countess, its always someone just raving about them (him) when in my opinion, I don't particularily find anything amazing about (not that I have anything bad to say or anything.) I'm just somewhat surprised that Countess is so highly regarded.

 

[CAIRATH]

I checked out Heilig Vuur once and couldn't really get over the sillyness of black metal with Dutch titles/lyrics. Then again I seem to have some kind of problem with my native language (being that I don't really read any Dutch literature, like any Dutch TV shows or movies or Dutch language music) so the problem was probably more on my end.

I suppose I'll give it another try sometime.

 

[Aethyrs]

I wonder if the last song Fields of Athenry is a cover from the old Irish one? That would be pretty funny.

 

[Jean-Pierre]

I can see your point. And I suppose whats underrated to some is overrated to others. It's just that whenever I hear about Countess, its always someone just raving about them (him) when in my opinion, I don't particularily find anything amazing about (not that I have anything bad to say or anything.) I'm just somewhat surprised that Countess is so highly regarded.

Well, personally I find Countess to be ridiculously endearing. The guy, unless he's putting on an act, is almost completely talentless with his instruments. The songs are ridiculously simple. What makes me fall in love with the whole thing is that it's just raw and unbridled self-expression, however juvenile it may be at times. It's like an awesome B-Horror movie, maybe not a Dario Argento, but something from Hammer, cheap and ludicrous but amazingly colourful and well...endearing, as I've said.

 

[skeptik]

I can see your point. And I suppose whats underrated to some is overrated to others. It's just that whenever I hear about Countess, its always someone just raving about them (him) when in my opinion, I don't particularily find anything amazing about (not that I have anything bad to say or anything.) I'm just somewhat surprised that Countess is so highly regarded.

I actually find it a bit odd the amount of positive attention he gets at times around certain parts as well, but there are a lot of others who can't stand the band and generally find it to be completely shit. The label isn't too popular among certain sectors as well. I remember scrolling through various distros and, whenever I would come across a Barbarian Wrath release, it would say something like "released by [insert pejorative parody of label name]." Now, I don't know the full story on either side, and I know that at least some complaints about the label can be at least valid, but I think Black Goat (aka Opyros, the owner of the label) gets more shit than he deserves from some people.

 

[Hell Mike]

Overrated? Nobody ever talks about them. This is Black Metal stemming from the original Bathory/Frost/Venom vein with a Heavy Metal articulation. No pomposity, no bullshit, Black Heavy Fucking Metal. The only album people ever talk about is Heilig Vuur because Falco once made a thread about it before it was released. Most of the people that listen to Countess around these parts are people I've introduced the band to, with the exception of Malignance and thisisaformicatable (that I'm aware of). Countess is, if anything, underrated.

I don't count anymore, eh?

Nice to hear that the distortion is gone from the vocals, this is probably a great album.