Review by Jeger on October 22, 2026.

At its core, true Black Metal is filth, grime, hatred and oft Satanic to its core. Some argue that Satanic BM is the only true BM. Sorry, but you're dead wrong, although I admire your conviction. Any Black Metal that has been created from the heart, the spirit and from places within the mind where few dare is true Black Metal. What happens when the aforementioned filth converges with the complicated splendor of the spiritual realm? YHWH, that's what… YHWH is a burgeoning Belgian/Thai Black Metal duo who are becoming renowned for their brand of BM that across a few different styles of play, is turning out to be of the most dangerous variety.

The script is volatile, the motive is malevolent and the product is weaponry of the sonic kind. No wartime spoils of victory, no stories to tell or traditions to uphold other than the malice of Black Metal in its true form. Earlier this year YHWH joined forces with Hessian for a Split EP - the third installment in their discography - laying the way for their latest, "Baghavat", set for an October 30 release via Wormholedeath. Now, as Serpents writhe and as Wolves howl the night, we venture deep into the realm of despising, of ridicule and of complete spiritual liberation. The opening track, "Ubermenschen & Underdogs", testifies to the will of He who seeks what is known as Ubermensch status - a state of gnosis wrought through much time spent in the throes of esotericism now unleashed here in the form of simple aggressive Black Metal, of the Art as it stands today as the only real viable form of Extreme Metal left in this wasteland of sellouts and early '90's-trapped copycats.

Following a gunshot, shades of Deströyer 666 and their nefarious "Australian and Anti-Christ" track surface through the intro to "Chains of Slavery" before a dual-edged vocals attack ensues over a foundation of relentless riffs and pounding rhythms. Feel the energy… Simple hatred through and through, radical disdain and tearing away at the fabric of your very consciousness as the seconds tick away during "Dead Inside" - a DM-heralding cut that sees YHWH in their most violent state of creation. There's a coveted state of creative prowess where one displays His ability to effectively institute a sound that is both classic and dynamic. YHWH accomplishes this with all of their volumes; leaving the listener in a phase of appreciating not only the old-school stuff but the new as well. A finely balanced recording that casts Black Metal in a dual-faceted light: simplistic in some ways yet refined in others and brutal to the marrow.

"Hobbit Motherfuckers"? Okay, I'll take it. Don't know what the fuck they're talking about but man, what a dirty little number. Wash your hands after this one. Just over a minute and a half's worth of real punk-inspired BM greaseball shit. Like the back room of the party where Uncle Jimbo and his buddies hung out, gambled, did cocaine and kept with loose Women. You just knew not to go back there. Well, that's the vibe here during this crime of a track. No pretentious bullshit, just capping it off with a money shot of a closer.

YHWH - take notes, kids because this is big boy Black Metal - the kind of shit that you don't even tell anyone you listen to because you've got a sterling reputation to uphold… That's a lie, but you get the point. Take it if you want to earn some cred and experience the art of BM in its rarely-formulated state - a condition of riff and rhythm that many try to accomplish, only to come off as one-dimensional or just boring. Leave it if you're a Dark Funeral fan… It'll be like that time Uncle Jimbo gave you a swig of his Bourbon that made you throw up and cause you to only drink Beer… Okay, I'm venturing way off the path. In short, "Baghavat" is the stuff of Black Metal nefariousness; the reason people once feared it, loathed it, tried to pray it away, but alas! Evil has its way of remaining, of persisting. Enjoy.

Ratting: 9.5 out of 10