### Bloodbath: The fathomless mastery

#### 02/10/08 || Euthanatos

My, my, want a pleasant surprise. After a brilliant debut EP, a solid first full-length, a decent sophomore, Mikael Åkerfeldt rejoined Bloodbath and released the captivating “Unblessing the Purity” EP. After all that and a live album, one can only be bewildered that “The Fathomless Mastery” is officially only their third album. And a good one it is.

As I said while reviewing the EP, Åkerfeldt should never have left the ranks, as his vocals are an absolutely essential part of Bloodbath’s sound. Not that Peter Tägtgren didn’t do a phenomenal job on their second album; it’s just that Mikael’s growls are pretty much unparalleled, and it’s great entertainment to listen to him bellowing out blasphemous rhymes on this record. His performance is spot on and greatly enriches the experience.

Other than that, anything to report? Why, for sure! Katatonia’s Anders “Blakkheim” Nyström and Jonas Renkse seem to have found once again the original thirst for death metal that prompted them to release “Breeding Death” in the first place. The riffs are much better this time around, ravenous and mutilating Christianity. Also, it’s not secret that Mikael`s Opeth partner Martin “Axe” Axenrot has consistently been destroying drum kits for the better part of the last few years.

“At the Behest of their Death”, “Slaughtering the Will to Live”, “Mock the Cross” , “Hades Rising” and mainly “Iesous” are top-notch, cream of the crop, sticking a screwdriver into the Virgin Mary’s vagina type of metal. Bloodbath have once again claimed their place as the most wretched hive of scum and villainy this side of the galaxy.

The cover: The “Unblessing the Purity” EP cover was much better if you ask me, but this one is also very cool, reminds me of earlier death metal album covers, such as Cannibal Corpse’s releases.

8.5 Christians burning in flames of putrid sin out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: Peaceville
- Website: www.bloodbath.biz
- Band
- Mikael Åkerfeldt: vocals
- Anders “Blakkheim” Nyström: guitars
- Per “Sodomizer” Eriksson: guitars
- Jonas Renkse: bass
- Martin “Axe” Axenrot: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. At the Behest of Their Death
- 02. Process of Disillumination
- 03. Slaughtering the Will to Live
- 04. Mock the Cross
- 05. Treasonous
- 06. Iesous
- 07. Drink from the Cup of Heresy
- 08. Devouring the Feeble
- 09. Earthrot
- 10. Hades Rising
- 11. Wretched Human Mirror