Belphegor - Pestapokalypse VI

Belphegor’s blackened death metal hasn’t changed much over time. This Austrian band flirted with black metal imagery and frosty sounds on its earlier albums, but the ingredients have largely remained constant – blastbeats, tremolo picking, growls with the occasional rasp, double bass as if paid by the bpm.

Pestapokalypse VI continues with the silly song titles and artwork; its cover screams “metalhead’s first time with Photoshop.” But the production is clearer and heavier than before, and the band comes up with some catchy riffs. The use of Phrygian mode brings to mind Behemoth, and some melodies and vocal patterns recall Vader. Thus, the band doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel. But it throws in enough twists like the vocal delays and chants in “Sanctus Perversum” to keep things interesting. You can find this album at CM Distro.