Year : 2017
Style : Symphonic Black/Folk/Viking Metal
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans
Size : 166 mb
Bio:
Black Messiah was founded 1994 as a pure old-school Black Metal band. The songs of the members at that time, Zagan (Vox, Bass), Frohnleichnam (Guitar), and Reverend Heidenbluth (Drums) paid tribute to Black Metal idols like Venom, Celtic Frost, Bathory, and Possessed. At this time, songs like Southside Golgatha, Goats Pray, Cathedral of Hell, and Black Messiah have their origin and are complete to hear on the first 1995 demo, which is totally sold out. Frohnleichnahm left the band in 1996. As a result of major disagreements between Zagan and Reverend Heidenbluth, the Reverend leaves the band, too. Zagan, who has a classical music education, now stands alone and before him the possibility to reach a new musical territory with the composing of songs with classical and pagan influences. In 1997, Zagan recorded the first album "Sceptre of Black Knowledge" with drummer Nabahm (known from bands like Innana Unveiled and Goat of Mendes). The record was then financed through the record company Last Episode and experienced a world wide distribution. Among some older songs like Sceptre of Black Knowledge, Pagan Winter, and Diabolic Rites, which are more old-school-like, there were new songs like Old Gods, Crusade of the Blackened, and Queen of Darkness. The new songs. especially, garnered appreciation in form of very positive critiques in many magazines and fanzines. Many guest musicians, and most notably former Sodom and Kreator guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik, have added their contributions to the creation of the first Black Messiah CD. In mid-1999, and few days before the record session of the second CD, came the break-up between Black Messiah and Last Epsiode. Important agreements from the record company's side were not honoured and Black Messiah, like many other bands that Last Episode handled, felt it had been stabbed in the back. The result was that Zagan immediately cancelled the contract and, in the summer of 2000, enters a self-rented studio to record a still unrevealed 3-track demo on its own. The demo contains 3 new songs and with the songs Christenfeind and Blutsbruder (German lyrics), it carries on the solid tradition of the first album. Hard but melodic guitarplaying meets up with traditional pagan elements which are represented by mandolin and/or violin. My Way to Asgaard, however, is a very typical Black Metal song. At the beginning of 2001, Zagan and Nabahm decide to part company because Zagan wanted to enter the stage with Black Messiah, but Nabahm only wanted Black Messiah as a pure studio project. This was second great cut in the band's history after the exit of the two founding members. Without hesitation, Zagan begins to search for new musicians. After testing many muscians, Black Messiah is now blessed with a strong and talented lineup. In the beginning of 2005 the band signed a deal under Einheit Produktionen. In Spring 2005 the band´s second longplayer "Oath of a Warrior" has been released by Soulfood. With this release the band managed to do an important step into international music business. Responses have been predominantly good and many club gigs, some festivals and a small European tour with Irish pagan metal band Cruachan were done. In October 2005 the band split with longtime bassist Drahco. Niörd - the new man on the bass joined the band some weeks later.
Album:
To be truly honest I haven’t been into viking metal (or anything remotely epic) for a long time. It’s not that there aren’t great bands in the genre anymore, it’s just that I have evolved to different sounds and music styles. That doesn’t mean that I won’t have fun listening to something like that, it’s just that I usually don’t listen to that genres at home. So, it was only natural for me to receive “Walls of Vanaheim” by Black Messiah with mixed feelings.The latest Black Messiah release is a concept album. Between some of the songs there are narrative tracks that work as a connection that advances the story. That’s not something new, they did it in the album “First War of the World” and we have also seen it from other bands. When it is done the way it should, this tactic helps the listener to achieve a deeper immersion to the story told. Thankfully Black Messiah use it in a successful way, though it made me think of Nightfall in Middle Earth, by Blind Guardian, at some points.Of course any similarities with their compatriots end here, after all their sound is different. And that’s the most important aspect of this album, its sound, The German band succeeds in blending many different elements, creating their own musical identity, that is quite pleasant to the ear. The transition from each song is smooth and the “story” continues in a way similar to watching opera, something that in my opinion is exactly what the group wanted. The use of german in some songs adds to the story, especially for people like me who don’t speak german, it adds an element of mystery in the events that happen between the Viking gods who are, after all, the main characters of this album.Maybe “Walls of Vanaheim” is not the most original album of the genre, after all the concept of Viking Metal is not something new anymore. At the same time I might not be the most qualified listened to judge it because, as I mentioned earlier, I haven’t been into that genre (or combination of genres) for ages. At the same time though that fact offers me the opportunity to listen to this album not as a fan of the genre but as a fan of extreme music in general. And from that point of view “Walls of Vanaheim” is a beautiful album, easily listened to, that manages to achieve its prime goal: to guide us to a trip in a different era and a different, full of fantasy, storyline.
Line-Up:
Zagan - Bass (1992-2000), Vocals (1992-present), Guitars, Violin, Mandolin (1996-present) - See also: ex-Ninnghizhidda
Garm - Bass (2006-present)
Ymir - Guitars (2012-present)
Patrick Donath - Guitars (lead) (2015-present) - See also: ex-Artcrime, ex-Cohagen, ex-Greydon Fields
Mike 'Brööh' Bröker - Drums (2006-present) - See also: ex-Neon Sunrise, ex-Concread, ex-Within The Shadows
Tracklist:
CD1:
01. Prologue — A New Threat
02. Mimir's Head
03. Father's Magic
04. Mime's Tod
05. Call to Battle
06. Die Bürde des Njörd
07. Satisfaction and Revenge
08. The March
09. The Walls of Vanaheim
10. Decisions
11. Mit Blitz und Donner
12. The Ritual
13. Kvasir
14. A Feast of Unity
15. Epilogue: Farewell
CD2:
01. Blutsbruder (Demo 2000)
02. My way to Asgaard (Demo 2000)
03. Christenfeind (Demo 2000)
Download links for all albums only on our blog here: http://goodmetalandhar.do.am/
