Feature: Christian Blackened Death Metal – The Essentials

Blackened death metal is a hybrid genre, mixing the heaviness of death metal with the lyrical/visual and musical aspects of black metal. Bands like Belphegor, Necrophobic, and Angelcorpse would pioneer the subgenre, with bands like Behemoth and Akercocke later following with their own takes on the style. As far as extreme metal subgenres go, it’s almost become strangely mainstream at this point; these days, it’s pretty hard to escape the overwhelming presence of extreme metal darlings, Behemoth (for some reason), so I figured it was a good time to shine a spotlight on some of the best albums in the style from the Christian metal scene. As always, lots of bands could have been listed here (and there’s plenty of great others like Shamash, Dying Blaze and Xaphon), but I’ve tried to keep the number down so that it provides a basic overview of what I feel are essential, standout records in the style.

A Hill to Die Upon – Holy Despair

If there’s one band on here to rival the sound of blackened death metal’s poster boys Behemoth, it’s A Hill To Die Upon. Eschewing the pomp and pageantry of edgy theatrics, A Hill to Die Upon relied instead not just on musical talent (which is apparent from the beginning with these guys), but also on deeply reflective lyrics. Adorned in album artwork reminiscent of the style of Orthodox ‘zine, Death to the World, track after track of classic black/death ferocity greet the listener (broken up, however, by the almost Opeth-like beauty of “Somme”), echoes of which can be heard later in bands like Skald in Veum and Symphony of Heaven – lean, mean, and yet rich and hitting with the force of a warhammer. A dark work that explores the worldview that bands like Behemoth so often extol, and comes up with a different answer entirely.

Vials of Wrath – Let There Be Light

Vials of Wrath wasn’t always the atmospheric black metal titan that we know today. In the beginning, their style couldn’t have been any different from the act’s Tennessee take on the pacific northwest black metal sounds of bands like Wolves in the Throne Room and Agalloch (not to mention the cult Canadian band, Woods of Ypres). Instead, Let There Be Light is a compilation of the band’s earliest tracks that are far more in the vein of A Hill to Die Upon than anything else. Powerful and heavy, lone member D.C. Mills roars his way through in a manner that will undoubtedly raise a few of the eyebrows of those who know the band for their later, milder sound. Definitely a piece of history in the style. 

Bloodwork – World Without End

England’s Bloodwork really, really needs to come back. Released in 2013 by Sweden’s Endtime Productions, it was oddly marketed as a new OSDM release in the vein of Obituary, Carcass and the like. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bloodwork’s World Without End is a powerful tour de force of early Belphegor-like ferocity mixed with the ominous heaviness of Akercocke that easily rivals anything else out there in the style. Hauntingly-dark, confrontational, and pulverizing, Bloodwork created a masterclass  before disappearing into the fog. 

Ascending King – Funeral of a Species

Ascending King stands alone on this list, having created an absolutely terrifying monolith of oppressive death/doom meets raw black metal. Not since Nortt have I heard a band so effectively combine the plodding, abyssal sounds of funeral doom with the lacerating noise of black metal. Not an easy listen, but for those who can brave it, a very satisfying and supremely heavy one.

In-Conquered – Nor Rivalled, Nor Equalled

In-Conquered, the solo project of multi-instrumentalist Jordan Varela, inverts the classic blackened death formula somewhat. Vocally-speaking, Varela’s grunts and bellows sound like John Gallagher of Dying Fetus, but the guitar riffs are played in total black metal fashion – thin and trebly. The effect is jarring, as the music is so spindly and thin, but the impact is so visceral. Few albums are as exhausting to listen to as an In-Conquered one, simply because there is just so much going on – Varela’s drum work is absolutely on another level in terms of sheer speed and technical skill. While his other records are heavier, Nor Rivalled, Nor Equalled blended the black metal riffing in the best.

Demoniciduth – Dogs of Antichrist

Demoniciduth have been through some serious changes over the course of their existence, with multiple line-up changes that culminated most recently in long-time core member Taanak re-forming the band with members of Ecuador’s infamous unblack act, Golgota. Though their most recent release, Enemy of Satan, captured a lot of attention from the metal scene, I think that it’s their EP, Dogs of Antichrist, that deserves the spot on this list. Rough and scalding in tone, Dogs of Antichrist blends the harsh approach of Belphegor’s early material with a thinner, more treble-high black metal tone and, bizarrely, a sense of groove that one would associate with the thrash/groove band Eternal Decision. Not kidding. The result? A rocking black/death hybrid record that is greater than the sum of its parts, possessed of both unbridled energy and some seriously scarring noise.

Since the Death – His Heart Hates

Colour me seriously impressed. Imagine a head-on collision between early Entombed, mid-era Deuteronomium, and crusty first-wave style black metal and you’ve got this insane release. Since the Death manages to nail the death ’n roll sound down, but expands it with a throttling, energetic black metal rawness that is just, well, perfect. How was I so late to this party?

Renascent – Praise of the Lord God Almighty

That has to be one of the coolest album covers I’ve ever seen. But that aside, Renascent’s over-the-top take on symphonic black/death simply cannot be ignored. Normally, I’m not a fan of this kind of full-meal deal approach of throwing every instrument and an orchestra into overdrive, but Renascent do it here with supreme aplomb. It’s an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink way of doing things, but as far as symphonic extreme metal goes, it’s a tour de force of mind-boggling shredding and orchestral violence. Fans of the dramatic sounds of later Dimmu Borgir and Fleshgod Apocalypse will love this.

Symphony of Heaven – Ordo Aurum Archeia

Black metal goes full-Gothenburg on Symphony of Heaven’s latest release  Ordo Aurum Archeia. While earlier releases were skillfully executed, Symphony of Heaven’s latest release just absolutely blows the doors off with its massive take on epic black/death metal with a melodeath heart. Imagine In Flames at their peak (I’m sure we all miss those days), Dark Tranquillity and Immortal Souls blended with the power of Behemoth, Skald in Veum and A Hill to Die Upon, and you’ll get an idea. Riveting, invigorating, and hitting all the right notes when it comes to a more melodic take on the style, this is one album you don’t want to sleep on. Gorgeous stuff. Did I mention that there’s a cover of the mighty Sepultura on it too? 

Adorned in Ash – The Dead Walk Among Us

South African Christian metal isn’t all about Afflicted Truth (good as that act is!) – here we have a rarity, a female-fronted black/death act called Adorned in Ash. Now, I’m not sure about that corpsepaint in their band pics, but the sound checks out. Feral snarls from vocalist/guitarist Robyn Ferguson lead the charge, but what separates Adorned in Ash from the others is their emphasis on a less brutal and more traditional thrash/heavy metal sound. 

About Author