Taipei Metal

Review: Anthelion - Bloodshed Rebefallen

The mere mention of the term “concept album” is enough to draw skepticism, ire and even audible guffaws from hardened metal purists. However, Anthelion could not have chosen a more metal storyline for their debut full length release, Bloodshed Rebefallen. The songs follow the story of the Snake Corpse, a creature condemned to suffer for thousands of years for trying to tempt mankind.  After millennia spent in agony and enslavement, the beast then reawakens and joins forces with the Snake Tribe, focusing its unlimited wrath on waging war on all creation, and the annihilation of all living things.

The band spent five years preparing the songs on this disc, and traveled all the way to Sweden on their own dime to record at the world famous Studio Fredman, in which metal heavyweights such as Arch Enemy, In Flames, At the Gates and The Haunted have previously recorded. On this release, Anthelion offers their own brand of epic and accessible symphonic black metal in the vein of mainstream, but still extreme, acts such as Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth. With the shortest of Bloodshed Rebefallen’s tracks, with the exception of two keyboard interludes, clocking in at just over six and a half minutes, Anthelion show that they know how to keep a song interesting, even when the song stretches almost to the ten minute mark as does the album opener, “Snake Corpse.”

Guitarist Zeist packs an ample supply of palm-muted machine gun riffs and typical black metal single note sweep picking, alternating between the two when the songs switch from slower tempos to blast beats. Keyboards and the occasional addition of operatic female backing vocals add to the atmospheric grandeur of the disc. Vocalist Code could go head to head with Dani Filth in a high range scream competition, and just in case you think there is some Studio Fredman magic involved, rest assured that this is one front man who can pull it off live. Bassist Ken and drummer Troy prove to be a competent rhythm section, holding down the low end that is sometimes completely lost in the mix of other black metal releases. Ken also earns top marks for being one of the most intense live performers in the Taiwan scene. He is constantly stalking the stage from side to side, gesturing and yelling at the crowd to get the audience into the show, with stage blood dripping from his perpetually clenched jaw.  With corpse paint slathered over his shaved head, he looks like a demented black metal version of Uncle Fester from the Addams Family.

In all honesty, with this release Anthelion have shown that they are completely deserving of having their names mentioned in the same breath as their better known influences such as Dimmu Borgir and Cradle of Filth, or even their countrymen Chthonic. For those of you who have never heard of them, don’t think that Anthelion is some overnight success. Since their formation in 2001, the band has paid their dues, going through their own share of hardships, and even ceased all live performances for two years from 2005 to 2007 in order to dedicate themselves fully to preparing the songs that appear on their debut album. They should feel vindicated in taking this path now, having released an album that can stand with the best of 2007’s symphonic black metal releases, and may even take the top spot. If you can’t get your hands on Bloodshed Rebefallen, keep an eye out for their next album. Chances are it could be the one that vaults Anthelion to the world metal stage.

For fans of: Dimmu Borgir, Graveworm, Cradle of Filth

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/antheliontw