Review by Felix on January 25, 2020.

It is a drama that Quorthon died much too soon, even though some of his works are really a pain in the ass. He was the chameleon of metal; his drastic stylistic changes were hard to understand but everybody with a predilection for great metal will find some jewels in Bathory's discography. Blood Fire Death belongs to the strongest efforts of Quorthon, at least for those who do not think that pure Viking metal is the ultimate sub-genre.

It is a drama that the album did not continue the bloodline of the perfect Under the Sign of the Black Mark. The songs are not too far away from those of the aforementioned monument. "The Golden Walls of Heaven" stands shoulder to shoulder with "Massacre", inter alia due to its straight verses. The stomping "For All Those Who Died" is a close relative of "Call From the Grave". Nevertheless, the more metallic sound and the longer duration of the single tracks give the album another flavor. Not to mention the elaborate and atmospheric intro which constitutes the acoustic complement of the classic artwork. Celestial choirs and whinnying horses make clear where Rob Darken once found his inspiration... Admittedly, the serious grandeur of the gatefold vinyl does not mean that the lone fighter is unable to make a joke. The beginning of "Pace 'till Death" picks up the squeaking riff of Venom's "Teacher's Pet". With a twinkle in his eyes, Quorthon sends greetings to his idols. But from an overall perspective, this is a much more serious work than the somewhat bizarre Under the Sign....

It is a drama that Blood Fire Death marks the point where the adventurous Swede began to lose his enthusiasm for sheer aggression. Let's face the ironic twist of fate: the two epic numbers of this album are absolutely brilliant, but in hindsight, they implemented the seed of lethargy in Quorthon's creative outputs. I know that many metal maniacs have built an altar for Hammerheart and Twilight of the Gods, but I don't share this point of view, because the overly dignified approach has not much in common with the rebellious touch that made heavy metal to something special. However, I don't want to digress. Blood Fire Death cannot be blamed for lameness and with the exception of wide parts of the pretty noisy "Dies Irae", all songs have an exciting aura. (At least "Dies Irae" deserves the honor that its excerpt "Even the heavens shall burn when we are gathered" might have inspired Marduk in their search for a fitting album title.) "For All Those Who Died", for example, scores with its overarching vehemence. Sheer power crushes the audience, despite the comparatively stupid mid-tempo rumbling.

It is a drama that the best track of the full-length offers. Indeed, a more dramatic song is hardly imaginable. Switching between soft choirs, which are accompanied by an emotional guitar, and thunderous, painfully intensive metal pathos, the song develops an unbelievable power and one sees raging flames before the inner eye. Apart from this emotional rollercoaster, the guitar work is extremely strong and Quorthon sings and screams more passionate than ever before. It is time for great emotions at the latest when lines like "With hair as white as snow / Hammer of steel / To set you free of your chains / And to lead you all / Where horses run free / And the souls of the ancient ones reign" mark the title track's point of culmination. "A Fine Day to Die" does not stand in the shadow of the titanic closer. After a silent intro, the song explodes, and harsh screams accompany brutal guitars. Space-filling leads roll out the carpet for Quorthon's hoarse, cruel and charismatic vocals. Finally, a melodic element is added as well.

It is a drama (but no unique event) that some medias did not understand the greatness of Blood Fire Death. The German Rock Hard spoke of ridiculous solos and hyper-perverse vocals while giving generously seven out of ten points. Okay, they tried to entertain the readers, but come on, stop writing - start your career as clown. I do not find any kind of ridiculous (but a lot of unleashed) solos and a kick in the ass of the mainstream is almost never "hyper-perverse", but a necessary act of resistance. The coarse and devastating production which lacks any form of nuances sets the right frame for such an act. Technical details are for wimps and maybe this was the thing that the joker of the Rock Hard was missing. But despite all these "dramas": the only truly tragic drama is the one I have already mentioned in the first sentence of this review. Quorthon, rest in peace.

Rating: 8.4 out of 10

Review by John B. on January 2, 2024.

This is really eerie stuff! Blood Ceremony should definitely be ranked among the vanguard of today's '70s psychedelic-doom wave. The retro revivalist game can be tricky, as you risk coming across as nothing more than a cover or tribute band. But these Canadians pull it off convincingly. Those of us who were not around for first-hand experience of the originals like Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep should be thankful that it's being brought back with sincerity.

Sean's guitar leads are an absolute time warp. Due to modern equipment, the tone lacks the old-time graininess, but the composition makes up for it. If you were unaware of the band's age, I could tell you this 2011 debut is a 40th anniversary reissue of itself, and you'd believe me. "I'm Coming With You" especially features a menacing three-note riff straight out of classic Sabbath. (Note: don't read that as a claim of plagiarism!) You'll also be reminded of the metal godfathers' eponymous song toward the end of "Rare Lord", where the slow melody suddenly picks up the speed. The guitar work is just very 70s, in that it's meant to guide the tune without obnoxiously dominating it, as per the flashy hedonism of later decades. Even the solos are classically organic to the overall songwriting. For best examples, see the instrumental passages of "Into the Coven" and "Rare Lord". Mr. Kennedy fully uses these chances to show his considerable skill, all while sharing the spotlight with Alia O'Brien's flute.

This flute will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Jethro Tull, except I'd say Alia works it in free from any of Ian Anderson's arty pretension. It's more like a stand-in for Ozzy's harmonica. The lightness brought by the flute is a really trippy counterpoint to the band's occult themes and slow guitar riffs. The effect is an enhanced, oddly enjoyable out-of-your-mind experience. Alia also plays the chilling organ intro to the first track. Perfect way to lure you into the album! God I miss the organ in heavy music... and no, it was not welcome when Borknagar stuffed it into their prog-ass black metal! That didn't feel retro, it was just forcing ten pounds of dung into a five pound bag.

Beyond her instrumental pieces, Alia is also the band's singer. And she does a lovely job. Her voice is strong and clear, with a certain airy, dreamlike quality that ideally suits the escapist lyrical themes. She just sounds like she rely enjoys what she sings about. A very genuine performance. You might like her to show a higher range, but I like her soothing stability. It complements the sense of drifting away in your mind.

The rhythm section of Lucas on bass and drummer Michael are notable presences as well. With slow tunes, it can be hard for a drummer to stand out, but he fradually works in more subtle displays of high-level technique as the album progresses. Look for his cymbal work on the closing song, as well as a great drum and bass fill in "Children of the Future". Bass aficionados, Lucas gets other moments to shine too. In general, the longer songs such as "Return to Forever" and "Hymn to Pan" have more complex bass lines. That last one is the album's heaviest song, due in large part to a slow, yet truly monstrous bass rhythm.

If your Witchcraft albums are looking kinda lonely on the shelf, go pick up this great bit of Canadian retro-doom. Then vodka up your coffee, watch "1408" with the sound muted, and pop Blood Ceremony into the CD tray. Sit back and enjoy!

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Allan on April 3, 2002.

Before trailing off from their black metal past, Quorthon/Bathory left this phenomenal album bridging the gap between their last album, “Under The Sign of the Black Mark”, and their next album, “Hammerheart”. “Blood Fire Death” moves its way through eight tracks of glorious Viking/Black metal and is still leaving its effects today.

Finally, Quorthon has decided that he isn’t going to do another album where the material is as fast as possible! It is on this album that Quorthon takes his musical visions and does a little bit of wandering into the Viking side of things. The first opening track, ‘A Fine Day To Die’, is one of the greatest opening songs for an album that I’ve ever witnessed. It tells you what the album is about, and sets the atmosphere for what follows. Almost every song on here has a very epic feel to it, accompanied by Quorthon’s black metal rasp. This definitely may not be what some people want to hear, but it fits the music terribly well. Following behind the black metal rasps are some backing vocals and choir work. This is definitely something that brings the songs credibility up a few notches. Somewhere in the middle of the album, Quorthon decides he isn’t finished with black metal, and leads a fast-paced assault on your eardrums. The tracks are well done, but it feels a little out of place with the amazing opening and closing of the album. Finally, the album closes with one of the greatest tracks that Bathory has ever done. The title track, ‘Blood Fire Death’, has an excellent epic atmosphere and overshadows what is to come on the bands next work of genius, “Hammerheart”.

“Blood Fire Death” is a stand out album for fans of more than just Bathory, but the genre of thrash and black metal. Mandatory listen for anybody to ever claim to like black metal, or anyone interested in the history of metal or Bathory.

Bottom Line: A highlight of Bathory’s career and a highlight for the genre. Groundbreaking and influential to many of today’s metal bands, consider this something you need to check out.

Categorical Rating Breakdown

Originality: 10
Musicianship: 7.5
Atmosphere: 10
Production: 8
Overall: 9.5

Rating: 9 out of 10

Review by John B. on January 2, 2024.

This is really eerie stuff! Blood Ceremony should definitely be ranked among the vanguard of today's '70s psychedelic-doom wave. The retro revivalist game can be tricky, as you risk coming across as nothing more than a cover or tribute band. But these Canadians pull it off convincingly. Those of us who were not around for first-hand experience of the originals like Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep should be thankful that it's being brought back with sincerity.

Sean's guitar leads are an absolute time warp. Due to modern equipment, the tone lacks the old-time graininess, but the composition makes up for it. If you were unaware of the band's age, I could tell you this 2011 debut is a 40th anniversary reissue of itself, and you'd believe me. "I'm Coming With You" especially features a menacing three-note riff straight out of classic Sabbath. (Note: don't read that as a claim of plagiarism!) You'll also be reminded of the metal godfathers' eponymous song toward the end of "Rare Lord", where the slow melody suddenly picks up the speed. The guitar work is just very 70s, in that it's meant to guide the tune without obnoxiously dominating it, as per the flashy hedonism of later decades. Even the solos are classically organic to the overall songwriting. For best examples, see the instrumental passages of "Into the Coven" and "Rare Lord". Mr. Kennedy fully uses these chances to show his considerable skill, all while sharing the spotlight with Alia O'Brien's flute.

This flute will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Jethro Tull, except I'd say Alia works it in free from any of Ian Anderson's arty pretension. It's more like a stand-in for Ozzy's harmonica. The lightness brought by the flute is a really trippy counterpoint to the band's occult themes and slow guitar riffs. The effect is an enhanced, oddly enjoyable out-of-your-mind experience. Alia also plays the chilling organ intro to the first track. Perfect way to lure you into the album! God I miss the organ in heavy music... and no, it was not welcome when Borknagar stuffed it into their prog-ass black metal! That didn't feel retro, it was just forcing ten pounds of dung into a five pound bag.

Beyond her instrumental pieces, Alia is also the band's singer. And she does a lovely job. Her voice is strong and clear, with a certain airy, dreamlike quality that ideally suits the escapist lyrical themes. She just sounds like she rely enjoys what she sings about. A very genuine performance. You might like her to show a higher range, but I like her soothing stability. It complements the sense of drifting away in your mind.

The rhythm section of Lucas on bass and drummer Michael are notable presences as well. With slow tunes, it can be hard for a drummer to stand out, but he fradually works in more subtle displays of high-level technique as the album progresses. Look for his cymbal work on the closing song, as well as a great drum and bass fill in "Children of the Future". Bass aficionados, Lucas gets other moments to shine too. In general, the longer songs such as "Return to Forever" and "Hymn to Pan" have more complex bass lines. That last one is the album's heaviest song, due in large part to a slow, yet truly monstrous bass rhythm.

If your Witchcraft albums are looking kinda lonely on the shelf, go pick up this great bit of Canadian retro-doom. Then vodka up your coffee, watch "1408" with the sound muted, and pop Blood Ceremony into the CD tray. Sit back and enjoy!

Rating: 8.2 out of 10

Review by Michael on April 21, 2024.

German Sci-Fi black metal entity Vorga is here to explore the outer space with us for the second time. So please enter the spaceship and let's lift off. But beware, this isn't going to be a soap opera with nice Tribbles or even with some malevolent aliens who are lurking in the horsehead nebula to extinct mankind. No, this is more or less a desperate trip into the nothingness and to explore the tragic and maybe senseless existence of the human race.

The cover describes perfect what we can find musically on Beyond The Palest Star. Beauty but nothing that gives you shelter or hope. The slight futuristic blackish stuff Vorga perform on their second full-length is full of melancholic and desperate melodies that let you literally feel the nothingness around you. The whole album is like a long search on which you will never find the answer. Or to stay in outer space, like a probe that flies from solar system to solar system, scanning each planet and its satellites to find alien life only to resign and exit the system without a positive result: the songs are very intense, in many single parts kind of persisting and challenging but then suddenly explode and accelerate onto warp 10 again. Stylistically Vorga aren't too far away from their countrymen The Spirit (thematically and musically) and this of course implies some similarities to Dissection of course, too. But while The Spirit are more minimalistic when it comes to sound effects, Vorga often use some freaky spaced keyboard sounds to give their songs some more depth and attraction and so they remind me here and there a little bit of very old The Covenant back to “Nexus Polaris”. Also the guitar solos (like in 'Magical Thinking') underline the desperation of the album. Repetitive and in minor, this isn't anything to build you up, this is more something to drag you down. The tremolo picking in this song catches up with this, too. Nothingness, meaningless existence – what a fantastic oxymoron to the title 'Magical Thinking'. With 'Tragic Humanity' (yeah, another positive aspect on the album) they created a very epic one. Some mid-tempo melodies that are kind of cinematic and rousing are combined with many keyboard tunes. Here and there are ferocious, icy black metal outbursts but it never turns out into a black metal onslaught. This is a highly melodic track that stresses out the tragic we all have to suffer in a very vivid way. Having arrived (or not) at the end of our journey, we are docking at the 'Terminal' which attracts of its almost classical arrangements at the beginning and the very dense and futuristic atmosphere in its progress. Again a lot of keyboards are used to create this atmosphere and this one is for sure another highlight of the album. Not like a lot of other bands they put a slight generic track at the end of the album and fortunately this one didn't turn out like the soundtrack to that boring movie with Tom Hanks, no this one make you want to hear more by Vorga.

Although our search for answers wasn't successful and there is nothing to be found, not even beyond the palest star, we will start exploring again. And this time in the third dimension (or on Vorga third album which hopefully won't take too long to be released).

Rating: 9.5 out of 10 deadly voids