Bewitched
Rise of the Antichrist

THE REVIEW

A "bomb", that's how you can define "Rise of the Antichrist" by the Swedish Bewitched on their fourth effort (in the studio) and the first album without the founding member Blackheim (Katatonia).

By associating the title with the cover image, it's clear from the start that they don't take themselves too seriously, something even more evident when reading the lyrics or simply dwelling on the song titles. Their offering is pretty much exciting, being a mix of filthy heavy-thrash metal that skillfully combines elements found in Venom (also for the themes), Exodus (era Bonded by Blood), Bathory, and Celtic Frost.

The sounds are almost perfect for the proposed genre: powerful drums (with an old-style sound), sharp yet well-defined guitars, accompanied by a voice that couldn't be more rotten, with rhythms à la Chronos and a vocal timbre similar to that of the singer from Kvikksolguttene (Necrobutcher's side project from Mayhem).
Obviously, there's nothing original here, but if the music is well made, where's the problem?

The album opens with an infernal mid-tempo ("Worship the Fire") preceded by a short intro that indicates the coordinates on which the album will orient itself. It's impossible not to get carried away by tracks like "Sacrified in Flames" and "Bewitched by Fire", supported by medium-fast drum tempos (tu-pa-tu-pa), or by "Rise of the Antichrist" with a Slayer-style initial riff and a vocal performance that reaches genius levels of absurdity.
Don't ask too much of this album, the ideal is to listen to it while indulging in some magical beer.