BLASPHEMOUS FIRE – Beneath the Darkness

This is my first encounter with this unholy Juggernaut from Portugal, and I must say that I am well and truly impressed with their work. Unnerving and vigorous death metal with a menacing aura and a dissonant edge to it is what you get here, and Beneath the Darkness is rich in muscular and effective riffs, an all-consuming atmosphere that spells death and devastation, and some deftly executed tunes that possess an organic and unpolished quality. They know how to evoke a truly sinister and morbid vibe also, which is perfectly exemplified by ‘The Torture of Being’ and ‘Heavenly Bodies’, and I dig the thick brooding tone that permeates the whole album. Although there are obvious nods and parallels to old-school death metal throughout, Blasphemous Fire blend the old and the new with great skill, and there is nothing nostalgic or sentimental about this fascinating document of chaos.

There is that unmistakable whiff of fire and brimstone in the air when spinning this disc, which is just the way I like my unpleasant underground metal, and although Blasphemous Fire offer nothing groundbreaking as such, they simply pull this style of music off in a much more confident and interesting manner than most other acts and outfits. In short, the record is chock-full of great songs not to mention that it boasts some killer artwork and layout. What more could you wish for?