 |
 Признаться, LORD BELIAL – одна из тех групп, чьи альбомы меня ни разу не разочаровывали. Давным-давно выработав свой стиль, в который от альбома к альбому вносились лишь косметические изменения, шведы пронесли его сквозь девяностые, а теперь уверенно движутся и к концу первого десятилетия нового века. Впрочем, какими бы там эфемерными эти поправки не были, а музыка “REVELATION” от “KISS THE GOAT” (дебютного альбома) отличается весьма прилично. В конце концов – 12 лет прошло, не шутка. Впрочем, в основе музыки группы лежит все тот же среднетемповый, по-шведски мелодичный, гитароориентированный блэк-метал. Правда, за последнее время из него куда-то напрочь исчезла ярость и жесткость, оставив взамен этакую элегантную мрачность с едва ли не симфоническим привкусом. Последние два альбома LORD BELIAL выглядят своеобразным ответом норвежским симфо-блэкерам конца 90-х (GEHENNA, OBTAINED ENSLAVEMENT...), только там, где у последних многое строилось на клавишно-синтезаторном звуке, шведы прекрасно обходятся одними гитарами, создавая оригинальный мелодический рисунок, присущий только им. Ритм-гитара при этом используется в роли атмосферной основы, а соло, в исполнении Хьялмара Нильсена накладывают на нее жирные эффектные мазки. Причем, с каждым разом тяжесть из саунда уходит все дальше и дальше, что вряд ли может понравиться поборникам чистоты блэк-метал, но их никто и не спрашивает. Впрочем, после записи этого альбома г-н Нильсен покинул группу, и на его место вернулся оригинальный гитарист Вассаго – возможно, это повлечет за собой некоторое ужесточение музыки, но, во-первых, это уже дело будущего, а, во-вторых, в случае с LORD BELIAL резкие изменения, наверное, просто невозможны. Возвращаясь же к “REVELATION” следует, видимо, отметить, что на альбоме вновь, как и на предыдущей работе отсутствует центральный хит, резко выделяющийся среди прочих песен продолжительностью, эпическим размахом и эффектной мелодией (последним таким был “Scythe of Death” на “THE SEAL OF BELIAL”), зато теперь все это (за исключением продолжительности) можно сказать практически про любую из песен. LORD BELIAL не собираются устраивать всеобщую бессмысленную массакру – они хотят, чтобы все было неспешно, красиво, с чувством собственного достоинства и выполненного долга. И с «мечами, откованными в огне Адских глубин» они «укажут врагам, в чем смысл боли и гнева!» (“Vile Interruption”). Так что, не обманывайтесь мелодичностью музыки этих демонов, и уж тем более не верьте легкой ауре печали на ней – все это лишь тактические хитрости, дабы усыпить внимание жертвы перед очередным сатанинским ритуалом. Ждать которого, судя по всему, придется недолго.
(Диск предоставлен компанией "CD-Maximum"). |
 |
Ensnared souls raped by evil
Molested in malevolence and malice
Overwhelmed by fear and anxiety
Slowly turning into afterlife dimension
I have read the signs of the burning stars
Order turns into chaos the light turns to night
I have read the signs of the dying sun
Order turns into chaos the light turns to night
The dying light of Christ
Swiftly fade away into the night
Nothing but ruins of ancient splendor
Christianity since long forgotten
3. Aghast
Screaming and twisting in pain
Devilish and gruesome laughter echo
Dreadful deeds never to be undone
Horrified by boundless anguish
Shattering thoughts of oppression
Disgusted by the repulsive reality
Accept the gift of poisonous words
Salute the termination of your life
Dreadful deeds never to be undone
Horrified by boundless anguish
Subliminal fear, constant grief
Caress the black shade by your eyes
Certainty of your sublime death
Open your eyes, you are dead
Dreadful deeds never to be undone
Horrified by boundless anguish
4. Death As Solution
(Life in your eyes slowly faded away
Tears running down your chin
Wrists sliced open, all covered in blood)
As I saw you die
Repugnant emotions growing
Running away from life
Despicable pathetic death as solution
With lack of strength you died
Died by your own hands
Spineless as a crawling worm
Despicable pathetic death as solution
Constant fear and inner fright
Pleading for death in the cold night
Constant fear and inner fright
Begging on your bare knees
(Life in your eyes slowly faded away
Tears running down your chin
Wrists sliced open, all covered in blood)
5. Unspoken Veneration
As daylight slowly fades into the hours of darkness
Dimness is rising from the depths of night
Demonic essence in this evil realm rule, rule forever more
Sinister might in this glorious black light
Spellbound by the shadow side of life
Silent reverence of this glorious night
Darkness descends and shadows emerge
Obscurity is slowly consuming all light
Acts of malice and sinful mischief
Dark pleasure and nocturnal desire longing for the dark hours
Words in ancient tongue is uttered
The gathering for unholy rites is set in this night
Spellbound by the shadow side of life
Silent reverence of this glorious night
Darkness descends and shadows emerge
Obscurity is slowly consuming all light
6. Death Cult Era
I gaze towards the wide horizon amidst the distant mountains
Frozen winds from the north whip my parched and dying skin
A passing glance over these scorched plains, a sinister vision
The Death Cult Era is rising from the ashes on this unhallowed ground
The frozen winds chant in sorrow
Fallen souls sweep the skies
The scorched plains lie dead
Dust of angels gently sweep the air
Once here was a place of worship, where angels sung their praises of god
A marble altar in a ruined temple broken down by the teeth of time
A cross in the soil once pointed towards the sky now broken into pieces
The Death Cult Era is rising from the ashes on this unhallowed ground
The frozen winds chant in sorrow
Fallen souls sweep the skies
The scorched plains lie dead
Dust of angels gently sweep the air
Filth and remnants of angels - fragments of a kingdom forever lost
Scavenger from within infernal obscurity feasting on angelic remains
Burden of lost faith reek as the temple vanish further and more yet again
The Death Cult Era is rising from the ashes on this unhallowed ground
7. Vile Intervention
A mighty shadow was cast over the vast plain that I used to stalk at night
A shadow of hatred, wickedness and eternal death, even the full moon seemed to shine with evil
At once I saw as the shadow was growing in silence that the darkness it spread
Plagued all of the earth
I could before my eyes behold an army of demons
A legion of purest evil, lead by the northern master himself!
"Emperor of the legions from hell, Master of all evil, King of all sins
I praise thee! - I worship thee!
I lay down my sword and soul to do what thou command
Cleanse my soul from all goodness and beauty
Give me a sword forged by fire from the very depths of hell
Show me your enemies and I'll show them the meaning of pain and anguish!"
A place was made for me in this legion of damnation
Oceans, seas and rivers started to boil
Blood was slowly filling the trembling earth
That now was covered by the shadow of my master
Drink the Blood of angels, eat their flesh, feel their life rush through your veins
Crawl in the dust of others, scream as a newborn child
As you are reborn into sin and ultimate darkness
The blood of all corpses is spreading its stench all the way to the heavenly kingdom
Where both angels and the almighty god is crying like his children whom we now possess
Darkness slowly outgrew the life of all meek and mild
Burning the temples of Christ, havens for their weak minds
Fire, screams and fierce destruction shall forever reign
Triumphant screams of demons haunts this night of death
8. Gateway To Oblivion
The whispering darkness, never spoken of before
Lack of spiritual existence, endless aeons of nothingness
Storms with no wind
Dead sun with no light
Moonless sky with no stars
All is eternally dead
Aeons of oblivion
Beset by emptiness
Everlasting obscurity
All is eternally dead
The whispering darkness, never spoken of before
Lack of spiritual existence, endless aeons of nothingness
A deep void of emptiness
Where no life dwells, where death is supreme
March towards the gate and be free
A deep void, a gate of nothingness
Where no life dwells, where death is supreme
March towards the gate of oblivion
Enter the gate and be free
9. Unholy War
Impious visions
Glorification of malevolence
Craving for a sacrifice
Rising as the fiery flames
Quenching life by the thousands
Rise
Slay them all
Rise
As the fiery flames
United we shall stand, divided we will fall
Discipline and hate shall conquer them all
None left behind, show no mercy
Slay them all and rise as the fiery flames
Rise
Slay them all
Rise
As the fiery flames
Rise
Slay them all
Rise
As the fiery flames
10. Black Wings Of Death
A mighty shadow was cast over the vast plain
These plains I used to stalk at night, now so dim
A shadow of wickedness and eternal death
Even the full moon seemed to shine with evil
Emperor of the north, commander of torment
Master of all immorality, king of all sins
I lay down my soul to submit under your will
Cleanse my soul from all decency and beauty
At once, I saw as the shadow was growing
- growing in silence yet with pride and strength
Obscurity insistently broaden in its growth
- overwhelming the earth and all creatures within
Encircled by demons in this great cold night
Seas and rivers started to boil as blood filled the trembling earth
The earth that now was enclosed by an endless shadow
All there is shall be covered by those Black Wings of Death
Emperor of the north, commander of torment
Master of all immorality, king of all sins
I lay down my soul to submit under your will
Cleanse my soul from all decency and beauty
Marching forward as darkness slowly outbreed the life of all meek and mild
Experience the wicked lust as the black night falls one final time
Dominant demons shall forever possess this earth
- Behold the eternal summoning of fallen souls
11. Grievance
Forlorn I walk
Path of solitude
I welcome death
All is utterly dead
As I slowly die
Reflecting upon my life
Come for me at this time
Reap me of my dying soul