Bathory - Under the Sign of the Black Mark

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Music reviews of Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Music Review: All Hell breaks loose...
Rating: 5 Stars

As with previous opi, this infernal offering also begins with what may be construed as the sounds of The Abyss, as if a microphone was lowered thereof; could also be construed as the residual sounds of battles past - this one is entitled "Nocturnal Obeisance" - perhaps the sounds of the enchanted etherial night as it floats by; tuning in to Thge Underworld. Actually, it sort of dounds like the sublimated underpinnings of My own Haunted Noctuary Chamber...

Suddenly and without warning, a demon burst of sonic wrath explodes in the air, like a mushroom clouds bearing the face of Satan, pulled in by bveastial claws unto the center of musickal mayhem.

Massacre thunders as quick as lightning, the fury of war, the adrenaline, the blood-spray through the air, the euphoria of the kill, the battle cries, the crash of flesh and steel, plumes of flame and smoke...destroy by any means necessary.

Woman of Dark Desires is about our own dear Countess Bathory taking her rejuvinating bloodbaths, the "scarlet makeover", as it were; echoing guitars, as if resounding across The Highlands at sunset, and pounding double-bass drums quakes the earth, with snares replicating the rhythm of a heart beat. The Countess was subsequently walled up alive for her effectual methods for the preservation of her beauty, in her own home in the darkness without so much as a looking glass - all that beauty put to waste like a nun until she finally excarnated, but not before uttering one last curse upon her jailors and anyone who would dare deem to judge her.

Sweet Countess, beautiful Countess filled with Lust, partaker in sublime perversity, clothed in the deathshade, they have gone forth enshrouded by the night, glowing hazel-brown eyes in the red-waxed candlelight, with fangs and extended claws to draw the life force from their hapless husks. The immortal countess returns...

Call From The Grave screaming up to the heavens from within the coffin; a doomed soul paralyzed and lowered into the earth, buried alive, minds tormented with horror, begging for death unto "God", yet the torture persists.

It was the manner of the time to attach a cord to the feet of the dead, which were themselves attached to small belfries because of an epidemic of misdiagnosed deaths. Hence, many were buried alive. The idea was to speedliy disinterr the ex-mortis corpus, yet these were also sometimes left to die in order to harvest fresh organs and bodies for medical experimentations, as corpses were in high demand at the time.

Suffocation and fear will eventually take its toll; then come the worms...

This song contains a melancholy tone demonstrating a terrible futility, and either the mercilessness of "God", or the complete non-existence thereof.

Equimanthorn is another battle hymn, seemingly a continuation of Massacre. But as a matter of fact, this is also another name for Crowley's Goetic Circle of Black Evocation. Another high-energy cantible which stirs the black flame to intensify even higher.

I bid you Enter The Eternal Fire, which shall either purify or destroy. The hellflames penetrating to the center of being. This song relates an infernal journey to Hell in the vein of Dante's Inferno...and here, a man's fate "for years of pleasures, victory, and gold." {a rather xian depiction of vicariously punishing The Strong; the song lends an impression of temporary excarnate travel experiencing. At a ponderous pace, this piece is a condensed mini-epic accessing the darkside if xian mythology.

Chariots of Fire is another maniacally-velocified piece whoch could very well be part three of the triune battle hymns contained in this opus. "A thousand Chariots of Fire...", perhaps likened the cavalry, shaking and quaking down from the blackened hills to dispatch what is left of the enemy, and ensure Victory.

Thirteen Candles lit for the Child of The Underworld; could very well be an ode to Infernal Progeny. The Son of Satan is born, rejoice and make merry! Moderately paced.

...Of Doom is not a continuation of the previous song as some may mistake, but is in fact a brutally-paced series of sonic strikes to the eardrums with screaming guitars and uvula-splitting vocals; dedicated to Bathory fantoms who hold high The Banner of The Black Mark.

And once again the mysterious evil monk-like chanting of dark spechtres fades in and out...And thus the blood-rusted gate creeks shut once more until the next barrage of devilish tales of blasphemy, lust, and destruction.

Description of Under the Sign of the Black Mark

Hard Rock & Metal CDs

• Music > Styles
• World Music
• Rock