BESTIAL MOCKERY

Numerous failed attempts at walking upright, a mouth completely desiccated, and too few fingers to scratch all those goddamned itches. Maybe it's a result of the 200 milligrams of morphine you had no business taking in a half-cocked attempt at late night recreation, or maybe the high volume torture of BESTIAL MOCKERY's final recorded output, "Slaying the Life", is to blame. Take your pick, but we probably ought to focus on the latter here. After all, this is the swan song release from one of Sweden's most ferocious black metal (by way of crust punk and dirty thrash) bands. It is an appropriately apocalyptic end to a career from band that walked it like it talked it and never wanted anything more than to guzzle beers, rape virgin ears, and worship Satan.

"Slaying the Life" is one nasty album that is as lyrically vitriolic and musically destructive as anything you are likely to hear this year. Forget about faux black metal philosophy and keyboard-laden symphonic excess. This one is all about going straight for the jugular without remorse. The band tear through tracks like "Storm of the Beast", "Antichrist of War", and LP bonus "Return of the God with Napalm Eyes" with all the power of early SODOM and an overdose of punk nihilism. There is nothing pretentious about any of it; raw guitars, attacking drums, and craggy vocals that allow one the pleasure of reveling in less than subtle lines like "cut the throat of God" (from "Infantry Storm") and "yes, I worship the Devil" (from "War Summoning"). Yet there is plenty to sink one's teeth into song wise, as the quite catchy "Black Spell of Armageddon" exemplifies. One may get a chuckle or two out of the blasphemous chant vocal with basic drum accompaniment on "Funeral Pyre" with lines like "Their holy virgin is raped / we are fucking her anal". But that is undoubtedly the intent, at least in part, when one considers the act's complete disregard for what some factions consider untouchable.

The fact of the matter is that "Slaying the Life" is a big middle finger to both the pretenders and those who claim to be "troo" or "kvlt". This is as real as it gets, folks. "Slaying the Life" is a barbarous black metal album that is essential to your collection.