Belenos are a band who emerged from the explosion of the French Pagan/Black metal scene in the early 2000s. I was a big fan of their earlier works like Spicilege and especially Chants de Bataille, but that was a decade ago, and it's been six years of re-releases and boxed sets since we had a new album. I am glad to find that Kornog proves this great band still has their mojo.
Musically Belenos almost perfectly encapsulate what I mean when I say "Pagan Metal" – a Black Metal base, epic melodic riffs, and vocals that alternate between harsh and cleanly sung or chanted. You don't get any silly folk bullshit on a Belenos album, just hard-edged riffs with a lot of depth and melodic complexity built into songs that ooze atmosphere. I would say this is not as biting and addictive as their early works, but it is still a solid, powerful album from a classy, veteran band.
