Bleeding Fist - Macabrum Bestia Ex Abyssus EP

Release Date: April 13th, 2010
Label: Moribund Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Macabrum Bestia Ex Abyssus    
     (Intro)
2.  Invocation Into Devil's Flesh
3.  Defender of Satan's Honor
4.  Leading Hell
     (Into Circle of Blood)
5.  And I Devour It, the Light
6.  Messiah (Hellhammer cover)

Total playing time:  22:00

April 13, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

Slovania’s Bleeding Fist reemerges after only a few months with a new EP titled Macabrum Bestia Ex Abyssus, which has an intro that is one of the more frightening pieces of music I’ve heard in a while. It’s not under-the-bed scary, but it unnerves a bit, much like King Diamond’s “The Phone Call” or Celtic Frost’s “Troiptych: Totengott.”  What follows is a twenty-two-minute black metal collective of one of the more old-school/second-wave bands to date. It’s melodic when needed and turbine speed when warranted. In short, it’s a good EP and a definite should-hear for the average black metal connoisseur.

The band began its unhallowed existence in 2005 and has released two EPs, a split and one full-length, which are also quite good. More straight-forward black metal is what you’ll get here with some pretty impressive time changes throughout, especially on “Defender of Satan’s Honor,” which is about as dark as black metal gets these days. Vocalist Etienne Chelleri, also known as Hellscream, is very typical in sound and approach to a milieu of other black bands, but at least he’s in good company. In short, the vocals, although customary and unoriginal, fit the music very evenly. I offer no complaints about that whatsoever. The rest of the band is tight, yet loose enough to seem like they thoroughly enjoy their chosen genre as opposed to some of the horribly-forced efforts I’ve recently run across that make my ears hurt and cause fits of cursing while weeping. 

The standout tracks on Macabrum Bestia Ex Abyssus are the previously mentioned “Defender of Satan’s Honor”, “And I Devour It, the Light” and the cover of Hellhammer’s “Messiah,” which has both an old-school flavor basted nicely with modern black metal tinges. Not a bad effort at all. Many bands cover the mighty Frost, some quite good, most really bad, but you can safely mark Bleeding Fist’s effort among the positive, yet interesting echelon. The recording breathes like a hollow-sounding tunnel throughout, marking the way of a true evil feel from the opening note to the final bass drum.

I’ve said it more times than I care to count, but when black is good it’s great. I’d say that Bleeding Fist’s second EP falls right among the ruins of solid and really good, a pretty safe and inspiring place to be. They’re worth your time over so many other pretenders to the coveted black-and-crimson throne.      

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