Weeping Holocaust Tears

I cannot remember how I discovered this band as they seem to be not very well known even in black metal circles, but imho that is everyone else's loss. The UK never particularly had a black metal 'scene' to speak of, way back when the Norwegians were putting the willies up the rest of the world in the early 90s, but what we did have were a select few bands doing their own thing and not really sounding like anyone else around at the time. Case in point, Thus Defiled, who sound nothing like Cradle of Filth, who sound nothing like Anaal Nathrakh, who sound nothing like Wodensthrone etc.....

One the one hand Thus Defiled play, raw, hateful, Satanic BM with noticeable second-wave BM influences (raspy vocal, hyperspeed drumming and frozen, tremolo riffing, but where they stand out is the excellent lead work that courses through every song on the album. Second track in, Spiritual Abduction exemplifies this barely two minutes into the song, as black metal savagery suddenly gives way to a classic, NWOBHM-influenced lead guitar solo, that wouldn't sound too far away from something Iron Maiden would come up with. Given that a direct line of influence can be traced from 'classic' 80s heavy metal, through thrash, death and finally black metal, I'm surprised there isn't more BM bands out there displaying more of those formative influences, but no matter. Thus Defiled do it, they do it very well, and when they really get going, they fucking shred.

Track three, Of Shadow and Storm, is my favourite of the album, and one of my favourite BM tracks of all time (hence the particularly high score for this album). The riffing is less furious and hateful, slightly mournful and mid-paced, but it all kicks off after the four and a half minute mark with an epic solo that truly blazes a blasphemous trail of aural delight into the heavens above (or the depths of hell below, depending on your religious leanings). It is AMAZING and even after owning this album for nearly fifteen years, still has me furious nodding away, in public, in the middle of the day, probably observed by bemused / concerned onlookers. It does not let up until the closing half minute of the song, so if you're really not into long stretches of fret-board magic, it may not be your thing, but it never fails to floor me. Technically dazzling, epic, heroic, melodic without taking anything away from the extremity of the music, for me It is certainly the high point of the album.

Not in any way does this mean the rest of the album is a let down, far from it. Track four, When Seduction Brings Forth Damnation, has an excellent, eminently rocking mid section with a chunky riff and (again) fantastic lead work throughout, and the 17 minute centrepiece of the album, The Angelblood Chronicles is stuffed full of awesome riff after awesome riff, interspersed with some furious blasting sections, atmospheric (yet subtle) background keyboard ambience and another magnificent solo. It also closes with an absolutely beautiful piano outro, haunting rather than saccharine, that is yet another high point to an album that seems to be chock full of them. Fire Serpent Dawn closes the album off, and the only reason I don't sing it's praises more is because the other songs shine so brightly. It is merely very good, with some slightly more NWOBHM influenced riffing on display, whilst still retaining it's raw, BM sound.

In conclusion I would thoroughly recommend this album to any fan of BM, especially those who appreciate the classic lead work of bands such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest (which is surely everyone, right?). I'd say it deserves to be more well known as it grabs my attention from start to finish with nary a dull moment to be found from beginning to end, but then....BM is not for the masses, and quite rightly so. Epic, Satanic, thrilling and at times brutally intense - check it out.