Global Domination (swe) BELPHEGOR- Goatreich-Fleshcult After looking at the names of the band members and the titles of some of the songs contained on "Goatreich Fleshcult", it would be easy to write Belphegor off in advance as just another lame black metal band, right? Wrong. Belphegor had it's beginnings in black metal, and contrary to what you're probably thinking, their beginnings were great. Their first three necro black metal releases were all highly impressive and as true to the original sound as anything you could hope to hear. However, on Belphegor's last recording "Lucifer Incestus", the band opted for more of a death metal direction. Normally, this spells disaster for any band who hopes to switch from black metal to death metal (excluding Zyklon, of course) but not Belphegor. If anything, the jump has only made Belphegor a better band with this, their 5th release "Goatreich Fleshcult", a blackened death metal assault that would make Satan himself bow down at Belphegor's feet. The term "Devastating" doesn't even begin to describe what a monster of an album this is, due in part to the unique approach to the production. I mention the production first because I've never heard anything like it on a death metal album. Usually, death metal is known for either being very underproduced or very overproduced in the eye of the beholder, but somehow, "Goatreich Fleshcult", falls right in the middle of perfection. Imagine Mastodon's producer recording a death metal album. That's what this sounds like. The production is mean, dirty, and massive. So massive. I can play this cd at insane volumes and it feels as though the drums are beating me to death, while the guitars cut my flesh and the singer brutally stomps my nuts. Is that an accurate enough description? I think so. While the production certainly aids in the brutality of this release, the band themselves deserve more credit for crafting some of the catchiest death metal numbers I've heard in a while. All the songs don't sound the same, but they do flow together very well and yet maintain their own identity throughout. I mentioned the drums earlier and believe me, that's one of the best highlights of the whole listening experience. Nefastus is a blasting machine and rarely eases up with the carnage. And his snare drum actually sounds real, which is a definite plus for any situation, especially this one. As far as guitars go, the riffs, melodies, leads, and harmonies that Belphegor manages to dish out are among the best I've ever heard PERIOD. The penchant for black metal harmonics hasn't left these guys at all, but they're doing the right thing by making them fit with the death metal they play so well. Vocally, Helmuth is as vile with his delivery as he was in the black metal days of this band. His growls are low, but not so low that you can't understand what he's saying in most instances and the mid-range screams spew forth with a demonic reverence not heard since Morbid Angel's classic, "Covenant", release. All in all, this is a death metal holocaust of epic proportions and "Goatreich Fleshcult" further proves that there is still much life left in the genre. If you consider yourself a fan of extreme metal, you owe it to yourself to hear this album. Final score: 9 goats out of 10 / Review by: Josh - Global Domination / Sweden