FLAGELLANT - MONUMENTS

FLAGELLANT Monuments World Terror Committee 2010

flag·el·lant n
1. One who whips, especially one who scourges oneself for religious discipline or public penance.
2. One who seeks sexual gratification in beating or being beaten by another person.

Back when the Black Plague was spreading like a contagious disease flagellants went around, beating themselves in search for the Lord's forgiveness and to end this strife of humanity. Little did they know that they helped the disease spread, resulting in more people dying than otherwise would have. Oh, how the Lord works in mysterious ways.

As Black Metal grows older so do the growlers. My eardrums have forced a disdain upon me for horridly screeching vocals. Lucky me, then, that Flagellant's singer embraces the rawer style that sounds more like anger personified and less like a man with his balls in a vice.

"...for He shall break us with tempests,
and multiply the wounds of the Lamb, a thousandfold..."

This is Orthodox Swedish Black Metal, aka orthoblack. There is much worship of the divine Beast here and you will feel as the lyrics of these songs have been conjured up from old grimoires. And perhaps they have. Somehow it all feels so genuine. Thought has been put into this, it isn't here just to look good. Although it does look good. These things often go together.

For there is nothing more beautiful than what the Beast itself has inspired. Even when you've heard everything before, there is nothing that can surprise you, you will be surprised while listening to Monuments. The differences are in the small letters, unsurprisingly, and you will have to give this one a proper listen because, and I'm afraid it might be so for more than a few, it will go by you without much notice.