It’s been over six years since the last Baphomet’s Blood full length, but one listen to their newest release ‘In Satan We Trust’ will make it clear that this Italian speed metal band has utilized the longer period between albums to put together some of their strongest material yet. While speed metal and traditional heavy metal have been on something of an upswing in recent years with a lot of younger bands joining the fray, Baphomet’s Blood has been around since 2003 but hasn’t gained quite as much notoriety as some of the others out there. That should hopefully change with ‘In Satan We Trust’, as not only are the riffs as razor sharp and catchy as ever but there’s now more of an emphasis on the lower end of the band’s sound which makes every instrument hit harder than ever before.
Iron Bonehead Productions sets January 25th, 2016 as the international release date for the vinyl version Baphomet’s Blood’s highly anticipated fourth album, In Satan We Trust. The Italian speed metallers’ first album in nearly seven years, In Satan We Trust shows that Baphomet’s Blood have not lost an ounce of power nor perversity in the interim. Forever hailing the ancient ways, the quartet offer obeisance to the unholy trinity of old Motorhead, Venom, and Bulldozer – with a touch of equally old Razor, Iron Angel, and Exciter on the side – and thunder forth with full-on scuzz and locomotive overdrive. It’s a hellish, headbanging good time, but it never loses sight of the original impetus behind true heavy metal: ever-eternal EVIL. And although ’80s-styled speed metal has been on the rise in recent years, Baphomet’s Blood have been fighting the good heavy metal fight for over a decade now, with members also serving in cult favorites Blasphemophagher, and they have the back catalog to prove it – and one overflowing with lust, filth, and sleaze. So if it’s a Satanic metal attack you need, then In Satan We Trust and drink deep Baphomet’s Blood!
Previous recordings have put the majority of the emphasis on the guitars and drums, giving the material a stripped down feel that felt appropriate for a band that was always merging the best elements of acts like Venom and Motörhead without mirroring one particular group too closely. This time around there’s a noticeable emphasis on the low end, with both the guitar and bass coming through much fuller than before. As a result there’s a lot more weight and power behind every note, and this works to Baphomet’s Blood advantage as it allows their abundance of killer leads and solos to leave a lasting impression on listeners. Though the formula behind most of these songs largely remains the same, there’s enough variation from one moment to the next to make each track distinguishable and keep you coming back for more. It’s forty minutes of speed, adrenaline, and metal supremacy and as is tradition for Baphomet’s Blood they end things with a cover track. Rather than going for a song from one of the better known thrash or speed metal acts, they’ve covered Eleg from Hungarian heavy metal band Fáraó, taking the original track and putting a little more heft behind it.
The group’s vocalist, who goes by Necrovomiterror, caught my attention years ago with his gruff delivery that sounded like a cross between Lemmy from Motörhead and some of the earlier thrash vocalists and this is once again the case on ‘In Satan We Trust’. With the tweaks to the way the album was recorded and produced, his vocals are even more dominant than before and there are plenty of moments where he absolutely towers over the already heavy hitting instrumental work. It’s the type of performance that’s constantly in your face and remains just as intense from the beginning of the album until its conclusion. Baphomet’s Blood has included quite a few samples throughout the album that tie into the Satanic lyrical content, and with the exception of the intro which is a bit too long they all fit quite well. In terms of both the lyrical themes and the power of the vocals on display, this is classic speed metal at its best.
Baphomet’s Blood has always had a knack for writing songs that kept the adrenaline going with killer leads and solos, but the differences in the way ‘In Satan We Trust’ was recorded puts this material on an entirely new level. The riffs are razor sharp and will make you want to headbang for the entire forty minute runtime, and there isn’t a single weak song out of the eight that the band has to offer. If you’re interested in anything speed or heavy metal related, Baphomet’s Blood latest is a mandatory purchase.
Formed in: 2003
Status: Active
Years Active: 2003-present
LINE UP
Necrovomiterror - Vocals, Guitars
S.V. Goat Necromancer - Bass
Angel Trosomaranus - Guitars
S.R. Bestial Hammer - Drums
Country of Origin: Italy
Location: San Benedetto del Tronto (Ascoli Piceno), Marche
Genre: Speed/Thrash Metal
Current Label: Iron Bonehead Productions
Booking/Press Contact: sanguinemmortem@hotmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baphomets-Blood-official/116241875112834
Last FM: www.last.fm/pt/music/Baphomet's+Blood
Myspace: http://myspace.com/baphometsblood
Merch: http://shop.ironbonehead.de/en/neue-Produkte
In Satan We Trust (Full-Length Album - 2016)
Released January 19, 2016
