Battle of the Ancients

Blasphemous Creation are an extreme metal hybrid group that have a pretty vast interest in the whole Annunaki race theory (this time around, it seems), and whether or not it’s meant to be fine fodder feed for lyrical themes or a genuine belief is not up to me, or you, or anyone outside of them. Still, it’s to be noticed and appreciated as it is as I can’t really think of anyone else tackling this kind of subject matter off the top of my head, itself a breath of fresh air amidst the Satanic smog so clouding the black/death metal spectrum (the non-legit variety, that is). Nevertheless, they are here and they are more than ready to shred faces off with tales of battles and violence the universe over.

Lyrical subject, wicked moniker and Szpajdel-borne logo aside, these guys’ music has a seriously melodic twinge to it, a more thrash metal-oriented approach than the personal description of their wares would have you believe, for the most part. Occasionally they’ll push the gas pedal down lower and drive headlong into a raging blast-beating segment if only for a little while before lessening the deathly blow. But that’s really not a bad thing at all, as the end result is a very cohesive album that runs from end to end with strong riffs, believably acidic snarls and an energetic performance that shows a band totally in the know on what they want to accomplish. Put all those fine ingredients in with a strong, clear production approach and you’ve got a slab of sharp, sleek metal meant to decapitate as cleanly as possible with a single stroke rather than simply hack away until all that’s left is a sickening, discombobulated mess. You can easily feel this with the devastating likes of “Destroyer of Worlds”, “Sons of Anu” and “The Conquerer”. And that’s fine with me, though…there’s only so much one can take with bands going for such a bludgeoning appeal. Shame, shame, shame.

For a second album this has quite a bit going for it, particularly its riff-by-riff approach to songwriting which is able to ensnare the listener very easily. Considering how few and far between good, modern thrash acts are it’s nice to check out one that goes for the throat with real conviction to their craft. Then again, the gloss of the final product can be a little distracting when giving the whole of “Battle of the Ancients” the old college try from start to finish, as the listener (and I mean the listener…) may not find a whole lot more to offer than thrashing, twisty melodies and the occasional aural sledgehammer to the head. Straightforward metal is a fine thing to shoot for, but what if we’d like something else to go with it? Something other than violence for the sake of it? Maybe I’m looking too much into this, and if so it’s my own fault. But I still cannot feel as though the Creation horde could offer a bit more in the long run. Hopefully time will tell, and future albums churning down from the surface of Nibiru could very well go for such a notion.

In the end “Battle of the Ancients” is a pretty satisfying affair that can cleanse the palette for anyone looking for a “just the facts, ma’am!” metal group to do so. Good for a spin or two when such a desire arises, but I’ll have to honestly wait and see how kind the ensuing years will be in terms of granting longevity on their part. But they’re off to a fine start so far.