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What can be said about “Blood Fire Death,” the fourth album of black metal founders Bathory? Statements such as “an unequaled expression of black metal” and “the best metal album of the 80s” would not be too bold, yet would do little in the way of actually describing the sound and feeling found on this disk. “Blood Fire Death” marks the culmination of the progression of the first stage of Bathory. The second stage, Viking Metal, was not to begin in earnest until the subsequent release “Hammerheart,” and although elements of this development can be heard here, the music remains vicious and aggressive. The most notable innovations of the album include the formal introduction of Nordic themes and epic song structure into black metal music. Here the raw fury of earlier work (both by Bathory and other pioneers of the genre) is combined with leisurely and supremely confident pomp. The magical result is well known to any familiar with extreme metal, and the achievements found on this album have directly influenced later Norwegian greats such as Emperor and Immortal, and subsequently the entire metal community.
As for the album itself, each song is absolute perfection, utilizing expert synthesis of lyrical content and sonic quality, a beautiful utility of the simple musical elements, a measured balance of acoustic guitar, synth and samples, and flawless production. Rising from the biting murk of the underlying rhythm, the voice and lead guitar of Quorthon shape rigorous dynamism in the faster songs, and a grandly bounding profundity in the slower and more epic. Pathos rather than anger characterize the vocal delivery, especially notable in the emotional climaxes of “Dies Irae” and the title track, in the latter reaching a heartbreaking power of strength born from reticent desperation. As already mentioned, while all of the songs are phenomenal, there are a few that stand above the others, and discussing these will give a more detailed description of the work as a whole. The opener “A Fine Day to Die” earns well the title of ‘epic,’ beginning with an acoustic-clean vocal section, leading into a mid tempo section with perhaps the most arrogant and righteous lead guitar melodies ever. This song absolutely kills, depicting a group of medieval warriors preparing for battle, it is a truly glorious and aggressive hymn. For its first few minutes “Dies Irae” proceeds in a fast, dark and chant-like manner, before reaching a climax of complex increased intensity (with concurrent decreased speed), expounding a proclamation of mystical victory. Lyrics from these songs such as “The elder among the men looked deep into the fire and spoke loud with pride: tomorrow is a fine day to die” and “even the Heavens shall burn when we are gathered” will be forever with you, as will the omnipresence of black triumph in the music. Every black metal fan must own this album.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Odens Ride Over Nordland |
| 2. A Fine Day to Die |
| 3. The Golden Walls Of Heaven |
| 4. Pace 'Till Death |
| 5. Holocaust |
| 6. For All Those Who Died |
| 7. Dies Irae |
| 8. Blood Fire Death |
| 9. Outro |
: 45.43
| Buy other Bathory albums |
