You know that noise a screaming baby makes just after you slit her throat? Torog captured it perfectly on Rituale Satanum but has since bled out and now sings with the voice of the demon that possesses him. The most obvious change is more growl less shriek and the vocals are less powerfully rendered in the mix.

All the sacrifice and adherence to proper ritual has paid off, their master has heard and blessed them with a steady stream of ideas. They have not had to rehash old glories in a hopeless attempt to capture Satan’s attention. Now that they have sold their souls, they should start to resemble Steve Vai.

Over the years Behexen has released some great discs with quite the diversity of ideas, like the folk middle section on “Eternal Realm” the high shriek on “Rituale Satanum” long slowly building songs on the Horna split, slow pace with heavy bass on Blessed Be The Darkness, or the majestic keys on Rituale Satanum. The fast and noisy “By The Blessing Of Satan” works just as well as the keyboard driven mostly instrumental “ The Land of the Troll” So the question is what next.

“Let the Horror and Chaos Come” gets the proceedings going with chants and choir and combines the mesmerizing quality of “Distant Call From Darkness” with more speed. The all out speed continues with “Born in the Serpent of the Abyss”, catch a ride on the Motorhead express then catch a steady flow of simple riffs and gravelly vocals for a high memorability factor to which is added backing choir and a very nice guitar solo to end. On “O.O.O.” you will need H.P. Lovecraft as your interpreter. And, as proof that drummer Horns offered up his soul as well I refer you to “Cathedral Of The Ultimate Void” In the title track, you have been led to the secret meeting room blindfolded, the ongoing chants are audible as you receive your instruction, until finally the blindfold comes off…let us rejoice…by listening to “And All Believers Shall be Damned”.

I wish I had the booklet art to look at, but Moribund did not send it with the promo, not even a cardboard sleeve with the cover art, just a two inch square black and white image on a scrap of paper mostly taken up with the barcode.

This is the way Satanic black metal is meant to be played, do not let anyone tell you different. If they try to you have just been introduced to your next sacrificial victim.

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