Black Messiah are no strangers to the Metal scene and with their seventh studio release this most Nordic of German Metal bands continues it’s epic story with…an epic story! It’s a very involved piece of work all about Odin and his battle against the city of Vanaheim after the residents beheaded his old giant buddy Mime (or Mimir as he’s known elsewhere), whose severed head tells Odin whodunnit, causing everything to kick off. Yeah, you know the one…
Against the fitting backdrop of epic folk-tinged Pagan Metal that has steadily become Black Messiah’s trademark, the tale unfolds. There’s narration by a chap with that fabulous ‘Journey to the Centre of the Earth’ type English accent rarely heard in England since the 60’s, which sets the scene for most tracks. Now this can be tricky territory and is easy to mock if you are feeling that way out so I won’t, as mostly it’s well done using well researched dialogue, especially considering this isn’t the band’s native tongue. OK, not mocking, but my favourite bit is when, after 3 days of exhausting battle, Thor confronts his father Odin to ask him to see reason. Odin replies rather wonderfully “What givest thou the right to speak to me in that tone of voice?”. My own Father used to say that to me! And he was from York…meaning there’s half a chance that Odin was a Yorkshireman! I bloody knew it – that’s going to really piss Amon Amarth off…
But back to the album, and Black Messiah have penned some really good songs to illustrate the story, littered with main-man Zagan’s familiar and rather excellent violin work and aggressive harsh voice. There’s plenty of power-metal double-kick rhythms mixed into the Pagan Metal attitude and stature, there’s a bit of Bal Sagoth hear and there, hints of Equilibrium and Erab Altor, but to be honest, Black Messiah have been doing this for so long that it really just sounds like them. The vocals are mainly harsh but there are bits of a half-spoken style, a little Grave Digger gravel in the opening song and some great Hansi Kursch style clean vocals in my favourite track, the galloping splendour of ‘Satisfaction and Revenge’, where the Power and Pagan meld perfectly, topped off with some more fabulous violin.
But on a cautionary note, if you are linking songs with narration you really have to nail it. For instance, when Odin shouts “Arm Yourselves – We Are Going To War”, I expect the song that follows, which is still a good song, to really sell that. Now, if Odin had shouted “Don Your Lycra – We Are Going Mountain Biking Around A Scottish Loch!” it would have fitted perfectly. But who am I to speak to them in that tone of voice… And besides, it’s easy to poke fun at something when it has been put together as personally and meticulously as this album. This is a dedicated work, you don’t chuck something like this album together in a few weeks and it shows.
Black Messiah are a brave band who have undertaken an epic odyssey – in the main they’ve pulled it off with professionalism and passion. The mood and delivery of each song generally echo the parts of the story they appear in (with only tenuous exceptions). The band continue to grow and go from strength to strength. This is an engaging, interesting album with a clear beginning, story…and poignant end – Odin takes the head of his dear friend Mime and lays it at the Fountain of Wisdom and Mime promises to watch over the fountain for all time. Odin promises to return and departs, brushing away a tear. I’m not sure if I was disappointed that Mime didn’t shout after him “When you come back, can you bring a gift other than another bloody hat!” I know, it’s an old one…
(7.5/10 Andy Barker)
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