”The Final Journey” is the fifth album from Black Messiah. The lineup has changed several times since they formed in 1992, with Zagan being the only remaining original member. The band was originally a black metal band but has evolved over time and now plays pagan or viking metal.
There are plenty of folk influences in the music as well as influences from classical music.
Musically Black Messiah are heavier than bands like Turisas, and they play some really impressive metal. The violin highlights the folk and pagan aspects nicely, and the gravelly growling vocals hark back to the bands black metal roots. Pounding rapid drums and powerful guitar riffs give the music plenty of heaviness.
The album is unusual in that it splits naturally into two parts. The first part is the first six tracks. The second part is effectively a mini concept album – the last four tracks make up ”The Naglfar saga”. The two parts are different but not so different that they feel out of place with each other, rather doing the album this way gives a bit more variety and gives the band more scope to demostrate what they can do.
This is a very good album – one that is well worth a listen.
”The final journey” will be released through AFM records on 24th February 2012
Black Messiah are:
Zagan (vocals, guitar, violin)
Frangus (guitars)
Meldric (guitars)
Garm (bass)
Agnar (keys)
Brööh (drums)
Track listing:
1. Windloni
2. Der Ring Mit Dem Kreuz
3. To Become A Man
4. Into The Unfathomed Tower (A Tribute To Candlemass)
5. Feld Der Ehre
6. Lindisfarne
7. The Naglfar Saga: Prologue – The Final Journey
8. The Naglfar Saga: Mother Hel
9. The Naglfar Saga: On Board
10. The Naglfar Saga: Sailing Into Eternity
