Seven Chalices

At times this black metal trio’s debut sounds more evil than the sum of their Norwegian influences, especially with the haunting instrumental/atmospheric interludes that pepper *Seven Chalices*. “Interlude (Arabian Title)” incorporates a mantra of droning growls and groans, seemingly inspired by the score to the 1973 Alejandro Jodorowsky’s cult film *The Holy Mountain*, while “Interlude (Cuneiform Title)\" resembles some of the *Suspiria* themes recorded by Goblin. But it’s the band’s brutal songs of wrathful metal that will get the corpse paint smeared on the faces of their fans. The cacophonous “Domains of Darkness and Ancient Evil” sounds like the *Book of Revelation* coming to fruition, as a chaotic swirl of disturbing noise envelopes a vocalist whose approximations of demonic possession make Linda Blair sound like Anne Murray. Teitanblood go out with a bang on “Infernal Dance of the Wicked.” In this satanic masterpiece the riff work recalls early Napalm Death, but with slower and more controlled movements that bolster monstrous horrifying vocals especially toward the end.

"Seven Chalices" from Spain's TEITANBLOOD is evil incarnate. It is old school death metal that drowns the listener in the muck of AUTOPSY and frightens to the point of paralysis with its long sections of bone-chilling atmospherics and terrifying effects — not mere interludes either, but epic exercis...