The Polish black metal horde using the awesome moniker that is Witchfuck recently spat forth this 37-minute slab of sharp, vicious black metal that surely must have emanated from the deepest and most unpleasant pit of hell. With a relentlessly aggressive approach and a thunderous atmosphere, these guys mean you harm, and their twelve violent compositions are pulverizing affairs filled with energy and spite.
The record is as raw as a bleeding wound but lacks neither punch nor power. It also harbors a prominent sense of determination and a strong desire to evoke a harsh and blasphemous aura (which they succeed in doing). The solos are chaotic too and emphasize the unhinged nature of Black Blood Baptism nicely and things are always kept loose and lively as opposed to rigid or devoid of dynamics. Several influences from 80s thrash and speed metal are woven into the nasty mix also and add an old-school flavor to the proceedings while simultaneously offering some damn tasty licks and memorable riffs that serve as an interesting contrast to the slightly more dissonant motifs present within this fiery cauldron. Let me point out that Witchfuck’s style is hardly as insane, noisy, or all-out frantic as Blasphemy, Conqueror, or Black Witchery; there is a red thread through Black Blood Baptism and it lacks neither definition nor clarity despite its rough and utterly coarse nature. It has more in common with Evoke the Desecrator by Bestial Mockery or Deep Tracts of Hell by Aura Noir than, say, a record by Revenge. In terms of highlights, the varied and wildly morbid ‘Unicestwienie’ where the mood is more somber compared to the rest of the material really stands out and blew yours truly away.
Black Blood Baptism offers no surprises as such and is rather straightforward but believe me when I say that it is quite efficient with respect to getting the job done and leaving the listener feeling somewhat crushed and beaten down. It is a grinding attack on every nerve and fiber in one’s body, which is just the way it ought to be when it comes to filthy black metal that sounds as if it was spawned in a trench or on the very battlefield itself. Memorable stuff for sure.
Black Blood Baptism is out now via Godz ov War Productions.
Black Blood Baptism | WITCHFUCK | GODZ OV WAR PRODUCTIONS (bandcamp.com)
