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Rating: This is in my opinion the most important work by Bathory from the genius Quorthon (RIP). For three reasons.
The first is that it is the first album that can be defined as Black Metal in every respect. Those who place the birth of Black in 1990/91 with bands like Mayhem, Darkthrone, Burzum, and Immortal are right because a single album doesn't make a genre. However, this album is already Black Metal. In 1986. You can tell from the riffs: chained, distorted, obsessive, and confusing, with the hiss in the background, not thrashy like in the first two albums. You can hear it from the screaming, piercing and torn, literally desperate. You can tell it from the lyrics, which explore the essence of evil in all its forms, from the demonic, to war, to vampirism.
The second is the influence it had on the early black bands of the 90s. This album has been truly plundered, not only in themes and setting but also in every part, especially by Emperor (although given the complex sound of the latter, it is almost unnoticed). The third reason is trivial: the album is wonderful. Varied, inspired, fierce, and melodic, violent and alluring. Who cares about influences, history, importance! This album is a bomb, and it is good to listen to it (blast it into your ears) as such! The music starts with "Massacre", a track opened by a slow, almost imperceptible instrumental, where the sound of the wind and a distant melody follow one another, like a prelude to the real battle that will soon erupt. The sound assault will be devastating: an opener that is truly crushing. Fundamental is the second song, "Woman Of Dark Desires", which talks about the condition of Elizabeth Bathory, the legendary Hungarian countess-vampire from whom the band takes its name, who used to bathe in blood to stay young. A hammering drum machine, not exactly black, programmed to shatter eardrums and solos that seem to come from hell.
In short, the further you go into the listening, the less you believe your own ears. It is followed by the slower "Call From The Grave", the piercing "Equimanthorn" up to the greatest masterpiece in an album of masterpieces: "Enter The Eternal Fire". An indescribably beautiful song, it is a manifesto of the genre. Every comment is superfluous. Quorthon's screaming becomes incredibly expressive in this slowly and engaging progressing track, up to the chorus, ending with the excruciating screams: "noooo, nooooooooo noooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh"! The songs that follow remain high level, perhaps slightly inferior compared to the first 5, but nonetheless excellent: "Chariots Of Fire", another brilliant piece; "13 Candles" slower, demonic, fierce, and "Of Doom", dedicated to the band's supporters around the world. A grinder as a worthy conclusion to the album.
Needless to say, it is an album for the insane and devoted to musical extremism. If you think you are and do not possess this album in some way, remedy it as soon as possible!!!
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
03 Woman of Dark Desires (04:06)
All dressed in gold and purple the beauty awaits the night
Knowing what will satisfy
Aware of Her delight
The thought of young fresh blood makes the hours go so slow
But the yearn for eternal life and beauty makes her hazelbrown eyes glow
Woman of Dark Desires
Woman of Eternal Beauty
Woman of Dark Desires
Elizabeth Bathory......
Now the hour is comed, the time is right for the feast to take its roll
And by the sunrise 60 bodies will be found raped from their blood and souls
The beauty patiently selects the victims for the night
Innocent blood will give eternal beauty eternal life
Woman of Dark Desires
Woman of Eternal Beauty
Woman of Dark Desires
Elizabeth Bathory......
Now the life you have lived have comed to light and unfold is your perversity.
Now the end is near still death is real
No more beauty or life for eternity
Cold walls entombs your secrets but there's nothing you regret
Embrace death with a smile as the highlands face sunset
Woman of Dark Desires
Woman of Eternal Beauty
Woman of Dark Desires
Elizabeth Bathory......
[Repeat chorus]
04 Call From the Grave (04:53)
God of Heaven, Hear my cries of anguish
I'm in pain
I've suffered a thousand deaths but I live on in vain
Death would greet with eternal sleep
My soul would come to peace
My life had ceased
The time was comed
Can no-one hear my pleas
Lowered down in the moisty ground
Into the dark and cold
My heart's beat the only sound
Pain tears my limbs and soul
I scream for mercy
Hear my cries
Oh, Lord don't abandon me
I'm so tired
Grant me the eternal sleep
I tear at the lid I'm suffering
In a cold and nameless grave
If Hell is what awaits me
I feel no fright
Buried and forgotten
In a cold and nameless grave
If there's a God in heaven
Hear my call from the grave......
[Repeat last two verses]
05 Equimanthorn (03:41)
Grant me the powers of thunder
And give me a sword forged in the raging Hell's fire
Lend me the eight legged black stallion of Odin and I'll have my vengeance,
oh, I'll kill with desire
Vengeance flows like boiling poison through my twisted veins
Tonight I'll blood shed with wrath and set the night on flames
Invincible in battle, wargods hear my deathwish cry
I'll laugh in the face of death, I into glory ride
Snarling breath upon your backs, I'm vengeance incarnate
Now it's time, the moment's comed, stand up now, face my hate
See the fire in my eyes, the final light you'll see
I send you to the darkness with my sword of thunder and steel
Vengeance flows like boiling poison through my twisted veins
Tonight I'll blood shed with wrath and set the night on flames
Invincible in battle, wargods hear my deathwish cry
I'll laugh in the face of death, I into glory ride
I let the bodies lie in shame
I let mighty earth drink their blood
I turn my face to eternal sky
And praise my elders' God
Equimanthorn hear my Hail
You're the mighty four winds night and day
Steel in every warrior's heart and sword
The brave and wise in flesh and soul
Equimanthorn, Equimanthorn, Equimanthorn, Equimanthorn,
Equimanthorn, Equimanthorn, Equimanthorn, Equimanthorn
08 13 Candles (05:17)
Now the night lays dark and cold
Upon a world at sleep
Across he world sweeps a crimson haze
Now the virgin's seal is broken
The fertility rite is complete
And the seed is sown in a holy place
Born a child of the underworld
The fire and flame
Born a child of the underworld
Desire and pain
Born a child of the underworld
Evil prevail
Born a child of the underworld
Now the day is slowly fading
The 12th night is comed
Prepare soon the virgin shall give birth
To the son of Satan, Child of Hell
Spread the news across the universe
Satan's child is born tonight by womb untouched and pure
All Hell rejoice the birth of the Son
Laced in sin
Child of Hell
The spirit of lust and pain
Baptised in sacred angel blood
Now Evil can prevail
Born a child of the underworld
The fire and flame
Born a child of the underworld
Desire and pain
Born a child of the underworld
Evil prevail
Born a child of the underworld
So light the 13 Candles
Born a child of the underworld
The fire and flame
Born a child of the underworld
Desire and pain
Born a child of the underworld
Evil prevail
Born a child of the underworld
So light the 13 Candles
09 Of Doom (03:44)
Hold high our banner black, the three flames in red
Brothers and sisters
Hail, proudly raise your heads
Through you we've reached out to just every nation
You kept us alive with your love and dedication
Bathory Hordes is the united force, we are all born of one womb
The mightiest of hordes born through faith and belief
Hail now the sign of the black mark and of doom......
You kept your faith, you mailed us your Hails
You spread our name and commotion
You are the ones who believes and supports and that's called shear bloody
f*cking devotion
The creature with red eyes, the symbol we've chosen
To guide us or fool us but together we can't lose
Brothers and sisters under black moon
Hail high the sign of the black mark and of doom......
Wearing our name B.A.T.H.O.R.Y., on T-shirts and badges, we salute thy
You thrashing f*cking lunatics forever you'll live in our hearts
Hail high sign our faith the black mark......
[Dedicated to You!]
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