### Belphegor: Bondage goat zombie

#### 07/04/08 || Kampfar

Belphegor is a name derived from the bible of Yahweh and is therefore a shitty one. This Baal-Peor supposedly was a god worshiped by a tribe known as the Moabites, living in Moab, but who gives a fuck anyway?

I thought so, review and info follows…

This Austrian band stem from the early 90’s and has churned out 7 full-lengths, a couple of EP’s, a live recording, and then some, since. They’ve released their material on a variety of obscure labels, not counting Napalm records, but have since “Pestapokalypse VI” resided at Nuclear Blast Records, possibly the best place to be if you want people to get hold of your stuff. I, however, think of the label as more or less a top-notch dung spreader (read: power and goth). That aside, “Bondage goat zombie”, stupid title and all, is not a bad album. If you are a digester of blackened death, that is. The Austrians has by some been accused of sounding like Behemoth meets Nile, deemed surplus because of it. Well, judging from the object of review it is just as correct saying this is Lord Belial hooking up with The Legion, Nile dropping in a few times, adding their Egyptian touch.

However, any way you choose to dissect them, it is not a very original and groundbreaking bunch of cunts this. Safe to say I’m not going to hack you to death with an axe if you persist they are indeed superfluous. Not a bad album, expertly played and at times downright good, but a bit too many times I feel the S/M frenzied Austrians blast away just for the sake it, showcasing more energy than songwriting skills. Admirable is the energy, no doubt, but the lasting impression isn’t all that impressive. Sure, I’m enjoying the mildly layered (extreme) metal at hand while it lasts but when it is over I’m not exactly yearning to give it another go.

That being said, they do know how to churn as well as blast, as there is no less than three sexually perverted ballads contained herein, the worst being “Der rutenmarsch” and its kloten kulen. Whatever fuck that is supposed to mean. However, when they are in blast mode they seldom let go, and I would therefore rather have them mend the three slow ones into the other songs, not separate them like oil and water. One entirely slow song would suffice. “Bondage goat zombie” is doubtlessly a quality album composed by guys with a knack for extreme metal, unfortunately, however, this grungy twat think they are a bit short on magic (read: songwriting skills).

I nonetheless recommend fans of extreme metal in general to give it a go, especially those not old and jaded like me.

6,5 out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Nuclear Blast
- Website: www.belphegor.at
- Band
- Helmuth: vocals, guitar
- Serpenth: bass
- Torturer: (session) drums

- Tracklist
- 01. Bondage goat zombie
- 02. Stigma diabolicum
- 03. Armageddon’s raid
- 04. Justine: soaked in blood
- 05. Sexdictator Lucifer
- 06. Shred for Sathan
- 07. Chronicles of crime
- 08. The sukkubus lustrate
- 09. Der rutenmarsch