Revelation (The 7th Seal)

When Scandinavia's extreme metal scene is discussed, one often hears the following generalization: Sweden is the land of death metal, while Norway is the land of black metal. The problem with that generalization is that Norway has given listeners plenty of death metal bands that have nothing to do with black metal, and Sweden has provided a long list of black metal bands that include, among others, Dark Funeral, Marduk, Setherial, and Lord Belial. Some of Lord Belial's recordings have favored a black metal/death metal blend (with black metal being the main ingredient), but Revelation: The 7th Seal is black metal all the way -- and it is also a fine addition to the band's catalog. Belial have never been the type of band that governed by brute force alone; the Nordic occult masters certainly aren't afraid to use brute force when it is appropriate, but it was never the only weapon in their arsenal. Musicality and songcraft have also been high priorities for Belial, and that holds true on Revelation: The 7th Seal -- which, like previous Belial discs, achieves an appealing balance of forcefulness and melody. This 42-minute CD isn't just about riffs and blastbeats; it's about songs -- well-constructed, well-crafted, well-executed songs that would probably hold up nicely even if Belial had to use less amplification and perform them in a totally acoustic environment. Revelation: The 7th Seal is not symphonic black metal -- the album doesn't get that lavish or elaborate -- but there is no doubt that it is among the more musical black metal releases of 2007. Those who have enjoyed previous Belial discs won't find Revelation: The 7th Seal to be the least bit disappointing. ~ Alex Henderson