Marduk - Plague Angel
Candlelight Records-CDL167-March 8th, 2005
By Josh Phillips
Ah yes, 2005 brings my first taste of the infamous Marduk. Plague Angel is the black metal veterans newest effort and it brings forth ten tracks of blasphemous brutality. As one of metal's most well known names, Marduk is sure to draw a crowd of listeners to this, their ninth full-length release. Plague Angel also finds the band with a new vocalist, Mortuus, and with former bassist Magnus Devo Andersson back in the fold. When it comes to this band, you know what to expect, so sit back and prepare to hear some barbarous anthems of war.
Unrelenting would be the best way to describe the album's first two tracks. A non-stop battery of furious drumming and line after line of spitting vocals assault the listener, but the real highlight is the razor sharp riffing provided by Morgan Hakansson, carrying the furious tempo of these songs. "Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets" calms the intensity by shifting to a mid-tempo groove and even stopping for a brief chant in its mid-section. After providing the listener with a short breath of air, "Life's Emblem" picks up where second track "Throne of Rats" left off and thrashes the listener before giving way to the excellent "Steel Inferno." Normally, a release of this kind has a tendency to be bland, but Marduk has found a remedy to that by throwing in enough deadly riffs to constantly keep the listener enthralled. "Perish in Flames" follows in the footsteps of "Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets" by slowing the pace and providing for a catchier structure and epic vibe. On faster tracks such as "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," you'll notice that the icy cold production inherent to black metal is maintained on this release and reflected well in the biting tone of the guitar. The closer to Plague Angel is entitled "Blurache" and may be an apt description of what this album will leave some listeners feeling. The drumming throughout the record is a proficient battery of speed and power and the vocals are an excellent fit for the music.
Overall, Marduk has put together a blistering assault that should leave previous fans and lovers of high speed black metal with a smile on their face. This may not convert those who already dislike such a style, but Plague Angel is a solid effort and contains some songs that should provide for an intense, killer live show when the band gets ready to tour in support of this album. Keep an eye open for a nearby show and in the mean time check out this release and see what Marduk has to offer here in 2005.
8.25/10
Official Marduk Website
Official Candlelight USA Website
Candlelight Records-CDL167-March 8th, 2005
By Josh Phillips
Ah yes, 2005 brings my first taste of the infamous Marduk. Plague Angel is the black metal veterans newest effort and it brings forth ten tracks of blasphemous brutality. As one of metal's most well known names, Marduk is sure to draw a crowd of listeners to this, their ninth full-length release. Plague Angel also finds the band with a new vocalist, Mortuus, and with former bassist Magnus Devo Andersson back in the fold. When it comes to this band, you know what to expect, so sit back and prepare to hear some barbarous anthems of war.
Unrelenting would be the best way to describe the album's first two tracks. A non-stop battery of furious drumming and line after line of spitting vocals assault the listener, but the real highlight is the razor sharp riffing provided by Morgan Hakansson, carrying the furious tempo of these songs. "Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets" calms the intensity by shifting to a mid-tempo groove and even stopping for a brief chant in its mid-section. After providing the listener with a short breath of air, "Life's Emblem" picks up where second track "Throne of Rats" left off and thrashes the listener before giving way to the excellent "Steel Inferno." Normally, a release of this kind has a tendency to be bland, but Marduk has found a remedy to that by throwing in enough deadly riffs to constantly keep the listener enthralled. "Perish in Flames" follows in the footsteps of "Seven Angels, Seven Trumpets" by slowing the pace and providing for a catchier structure and epic vibe. On faster tracks such as "Holy Blood, Holy Grail," you'll notice that the icy cold production inherent to black metal is maintained on this release and reflected well in the biting tone of the guitar. The closer to Plague Angel is entitled "Blurache" and may be an apt description of what this album will leave some listeners feeling. The drumming throughout the record is a proficient battery of speed and power and the vocals are an excellent fit for the music.
Overall, Marduk has put together a blistering assault that should leave previous fans and lovers of high speed black metal with a smile on their face. This may not convert those who already dislike such a style, but Plague Angel is a solid effort and contains some songs that should provide for an intense, killer live show when the band gets ready to tour in support of this album. Keep an eye open for a nearby show and in the mean time check out this release and see what Marduk has to offer here in 2005.
8.25/10
Official Marduk Website
Official Candlelight USA Website
