Il portale della musica Heavy Metal

recensione

A band that has always been quite far from the spotlight, Black Crucifixion, coming originally from a place where there isn’t really much light through the cold and inhospitable Lapp winter. Same hometown of more mainstream bands as Lordi, the city of Rovaniemi, but luckly nothing to do with that, the music of BC is nude and crude old school Black Metal, which darkness is indeed inspired by those gloomy and frozen lands. A band which is loyal to its roots, refusing to adapt to the many changes that lots of other extreme collegues went through since Black Metal gained popularity.
When you look at the career of this now 4-piece act, celebrating with this record their 20th anniversary, you might be at least confused to see that this is only their 2nd full lenght. Quality over quantity? It might as well be the case, since the band looks like one of those who actually release an album only when really satisfied with their work. However “HoR” is not completely new in itself, as it contains four original tracks, and five live recordings of other classics. Not that you can notice it that much, if it wasn’t for the live character of the latter, since the sound has been kept very close to the core of BC’s music through the new songs as well.
“Retaliation” opens this album with a convincing wall of solid guitar riffs and pounding drums which has proven really suitable for a live performance (as I could see with my eyes). An heavy song with a striking impact. The following track works instead as an intro for the next, setting a darkened atmosphere for “Blood Soaked Snow”, where Forn’s voice becomes somehow more aggressive in between the overwhelming sound of the guitars, in one of the best BC songs of their recent past.
Faint whispers lead into the last of the new songs, “Bitten By The Long Frosts Of Life”, a somehow mightier and more pretentious song, which adds a feeling of solemnity in its slowest parts, hitting you like a tank when accelerating. This straight-in-you-face approach, in my opinion, is what makes for the success of Black Crucifixion songs in their live performances.
The second part of the cd is made of live recordings which reinforce the idea of how much this band can give in a proper show. Highlights are “Where Will You Hide”, “Winterkill” and one my personal favourites, “Serpent Of Your Holy Garden”.
It can be an arguable choice to release a record made half of new songs and live material, and sure it would be nice to hear more from this band, but even if I’m not a big fan of this kind of releases, it becomes clear after a few listenings that this choice works well to give an overall idea of what you can expect from them in both situations, live and studio. And is also an opportunity for who doesn’t know them, to approach the band for the first time and enjoy their music.
Happy (unholy) 20th anniversary, Black Crucifixion!

Together with the release of “HoR”, the guys from Rovaniemi have re-released also their mini-debut “The Fallen One Of Flames”, and their very first show (dated August 1991), in a cd called “Satanic Zeitgeist”. If you are a fan of good old angry Black Metal, it’s something definitely worth listening!

Recensione di Marco Manzi

tracklist

1. Retaliation
2. Night Birds Sing Your Demise
3. Blood Soaked Snow
4. Bitten By The Long Frosts Of Life
5. Where Will You Hide (live)
6. Master Spirit (live)
7. Promethean Gift (live)
8. Serpent Of Your Holy Garden (live)
9. Winterkill (live)