For Italian extreme metal band Blasphemer a new chapter begins with the release of the full length “The Sixth Hour” conceptually based on the last day of Jesus Christ on the path that led him from the Gethsemane to Golgotha.
“Let Him Be Crucified” begins with an anguished atmosphere that gives way to a rather hostile rhythmic ensemble filled with violent guitar riffs and cavernous growls that clearly manifest the blasphemous essence of the entire album.
“The Stumbling Block” certainly maintains a lugubrious mood from beginning to end as guitars craft profoundly darkened melodic phrases in the midst of a relentless rhythmic assault inspired by the obscure depths of death metal.
On “Lord Of Lies” the precise drumming dictates a breakneck rhythm inevitably generating a chaotic momentum while the guitar work shifts from unrestrained riffage to intriguing & menacing licks.
“I.N.R.I.” features some tasteful mournful guitar melodies that naturally add dramatic depth but don’t sacrifice the savage aspects of the faster belligerent rhythmic segments which still follow a wicked death metal pathway.
The title track confidently relies on a ferocious rhythmic section but often focuses on the ominous tonalities of the lead guitar work accompanied by agonizing screams that tend to enhance the tragic vibes.
On “The Deposition” the dramatic nuances seem to gain more attention leading to an inescapable torment fully expressed by the understated melodic lead guitars emerging through the asphyxiating rhythmic ensemble.
Throughout “The Sixth Hour” Blasphemer are certainly eager to keep an uncompromising brutality that stays true to their blackened death metal pathway and thrives within the underground scene but also manage to deliver some bewitching melodic twists.