With a sound more in line with the warring hordes of Down Under than the melodically leaning gothic moroseness of the majority of their countrymen, Athens, Greece-based Ravencult spew forth a pleasingly filthy and furiously vicious thrash-tinged black metal on sophomore album Morbid Blood via those purveyors of the vile Hells Headbangers.

There’s some serious blasting going on throughout the majority of this record which, coupled with the thrashy edge of tracks like the awesome “Possessed on Burial Ground” and “Black Rites of Execration” makes for a truly blistering, punishing listening experience.  Vocalist Linos roars with a savage intensity reminiscent of Helmkamp at his best and guitarist Stefanos shreds some precise and evil riffs, in “Sworn to the Unspoken Oath” that possess a complexity uncharacteristic to the style.  At times throughout Morbid Blood I’m reminded of a more exciting and dangerous Watain, and “With Hunger in Eyes” gives a slight idea what an insane, evil Motorhead might sound like.  I suppose for some the blast-beat heavy performance here could be a detractor, but Morbid Blood is undoubtedly a mandatory purchase for any and all fans of bands like Aura Noir, Nifelheim, Destroyer 666 and Razor of Occam.

TRACK LISTING

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*Comments:

1.  Sacrilege of Death
2.  Possessed on Burial Ground
3.  Hail Revenge
4.  Morbid Blood
5.  Winds of Damnation
6.  With Hunger in Eyes
7.  Snakes Crawl
8.  Black Rites of Execration
9.  Sworn to the Unspoken Oath
10.  The Gates of Bloodshed

Total playing time:  39:33

Release Date: March 18, 2011
Label: Hells Headbangers

Ravencult - Morbid Blood

Reviewer: J. A. Burt

April 19, 2011