Metal Underground.com

The title of Behexen’s fourth full-length album “My Soul for His Glory” sounds like something King Leonitus would say about Xerxes. King Leonitus was a powerful leader that led his people to great victories over his enemy, as it was like that in the popular movie “300.” The Finnish black metal band has been true to the title and created a powerful album that will make you want to kick someone into a pit. “My Soul for His Glory” is full of extreme black metal ready to take on any listener that dares think he can handle it. This album just kicks ass…into a pit.

The first two minutes of the album on the song “Let the Horror and Chaos Come” are wind blowing while a distant bell chimes that blends into male and female voices softly singing. After that, the horror and chaos arrive. Grinding guitars play a quick-strum melody. Both the lead and rhythm sound amazing in every song. There is a small hint of classic heavy metal about them that makes you want to wear a denim vest. Maybe it’s from the melodies Gargantum and Reaper play in a very slightly higher pitch than traditional black metal songs. The sound of the guitars is rather tight, made in a small space. It is reminiscent of Arson Anthem tight playing.

The drums compliment the classic heavy metal sound of the guitars because most of the time Horns plays in a typical rock format (bass, snare, bass, snare) as opposed to black metal double bass drumming. Occasionally, they slip into double bass, very rapid frenzy like in the beginning of “Born in the Serpent of the Abyss.” The drumming is on the tight side with the guitars but they’re very prominent and not buried in the music, which creates a good rhythm.

Torog the vocalist shares none of the qualities of the above instruments. He sounds like he is lost in a cave and screaming for someone to show him the way out. It’s a desperate bellowing that is occasionally joined by a growl. The vocals are set far back from the tightness of the guitars, bass, and drums and echo into the depths. Sometimes it’s even hard to hear him.

One song is a bit different than the others. “6.6.6.” is a quasi-blues song that begins with one guitar playing a rhythm and the other plays two notes of feedback continuously. There are unintelligible gurgles lurking below the music that almost sound like a very old recording of a Voodoo priest played at slow speed. We’ve all watched those kinds of movies, so you know what I’m talking about. Half way through the song, the bass and drums join in. They also play very slowly like the guitars and wind blows through too. It’s a scary mystical interlude that is so intriguing to hear.

Behexen is an incredible music maker. “My Soul for His Glory” is very full sounding and there is never a dull moment. Any release from them is sure to be a masterpiece.