Possessed Whore

Raped Christ hails from Poland with a unique sound that combines elements of hard rock and black metal. Black 'n' roll is a lot more niche of a genre than death 'n' roll, but of the fringe EPs and albums I've heard, the styles tend to mesh better on black 'n' roll. This EP, Possession Whore, is a solid collection of upbeat, effervescent black metal songs with a catchy, rock-oriented twist to them.

The title track kicks off the EP with some pretty groovy guitars and a nice song structure, although the drumming could be a little more intricate. This song flows well for the most part and is a nice introduction to the band's sound. As gruesome of a name as Raped Christ is, it doesn't completely reflect the band's aesthetic. This isn't an Infant Annihilator-style extreme metal band that just tries to sound as insane as possible, Raped Christ cares about the art. The riffs are well-written and although the drumming is minimalist, it's done with care. There are very few instrumental choices here that don't feel deliberate, even if they aren't all home runs.

The songs on this EP feel longer than they actually are. "Incubus Bestial Fuck" has an incredible name, first off, but feels much longer than its slated six and a half minute runtime. For most metal listeners, six and a half minute is about average, but this song feels deceivingly long, because it takes so many different twists and turns with different riffs and rhythms. This diversity in the composition is not always a good thing, though, as it does lend the songs to drag a tiny bit. It isn't the worst thing, because none of the music is ear-piercingly bad, but it would have been nice if the band opted for a more compact writing style.

"Jesus Christ Slain In a Gas Chamber" is the real gem of this EP. That main riff is pure Motörhead over a fast drum beat. This song kicks ass, and the black metal vocals slide nicely over the dancing riff that could fit a dozen different styles. As the band speeds up and slows down, they never lose their groove, which can be said for most of this EP. Even if the band is fleshing out a riff idea that isn't that memorable, they at least sound like a cohesive unit while doing so. This is a good start, hopefully the band picks things up again soon.