Forsaken Dynasty

I have been following Blasphemous Creation since I got their Shadows of Evil demo back in 2008, though only guitarist/vocalist Isaac Wilson remains from those days. This is their fourth album, originally sneaking by me in 2018, but this is a rerelease with all-new cover art. This band has been shifting restlessly from style to style through the years—going from straight Black Metal to Death/Black and now incorporating much more Thrash influence.

Working the same kind of chaotic, thrashy Death Metal with a hint of Black as bands like Diocletian or Angelcorpse, this time out sees Blasphemous Creation sounding more melodic than before, with a lot of sharp, hooky riffing and a definite '80s sound to the songwriting. This has a lot of energy, and the compositions are good enough that the songs stand out from each other and manage to be catchy. If I have a complaint, it's that the production is a little weaker this time out, a bit lacking in lower-end punch, and the guitar sounds too smooth for my taste.

Lyrically this is more of the Stargate/Ancient Astronauts fantasy the band has been into for close to a decade now, and it does give them a distinct look and atmosphere, separating them from the hordes of Satan-screamers out there. This band remains independent and unsigned, and after so long I can only assume they want it that way. A worthy addition to their canon.