It is nothing but incredible how Austrian-based Belphegor launches a superior CD at the masses with the regularity of a clock in despite of their abortive attempt to recruit a permanent drummer. I wrote earlier that it could not be anything else than furious passion burning within the veins of Helmuth (vocals, all guitars), and Serpenth (bass), Torturer ( session drums since 2002 ) that brings them to musical madness. You will hardly believe this, but ‘Bondage Goat Zombie’ even surpasses the previous albums ‘Pestapokalypse VI’ and Goatreich-Fleschcult’!

The first ideas for this peerless seventh album have been written down around May 2006, but it was only after their Brazilian tour that the band started focusing on this new material in September 2007. The recording sessions were split up in three parts at the Stage One Studios of Andy Classen, so that recorded takes could be reconsidered and fine-tuned later on. Session drummer Torturer helped them this time. After three American tours to promote the previous album, it is about time to set our sights on ‘Bondage Goat Zombie’.

As from the bell-ringing on and the diabolic voice of Helmuth adds some melody to the black metal fury in the title track opening this album, we are taken off for a sparkling ride on the back of the horned one. This voyage soon adds a compelling tinge by choirs and a slightly symphonic background, but it mostly reigns by its sublime guitar work which turns for instance ‘Stigma Diabolicum’ into a first summit. ‘Armageddon’s Raid’ opens with classical acoustic guitars, the more heavier is the continuation. Later on they slacken down pace a bit and symphonic arrangements are put to the fore. This is really amazing! The album is much multilayered, but after a few spins very catchy as well. That is mainly due to its matchless breaks. In ‘Justine: Soaked In Blood’ we have a hacking start, kind of Slayer-like rigidity, but once again lots of rhythm changes and a marvellous epic guitar solo. Satan wants to indulge his passions from time to time of course, and ‘Sexdictator Lucifer’ is the perfect soundtrack for it. Mark the oriental influences for that matter; those are even more featured later on in the magnificent ‘Chronicles Of Time’. And it gets better and better. The brief, trailing ‘The Sukkubus Lustrate’ with its highfaluting vocals – reminds me of Empyrium – pass imperceptibly into the German ‘Der Rutenmarch’. Emotive guitar soloing and pontifical choirs create a mysterious atmosphere that expand later on into whispering female voices and a blood-curdling guitar solo evoking unworldly blasphemous proportions. This album leaves me speechless. Belphegor have the right end of the stick when they call their music “supreme death/black metal art”!

95/100 Vera Matthijssens www.lordsofmetal.nl