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Now this is the real shit. Fourth album by French black thrashers Temple Of Baal absolutely slays everything in its way with stripped-down riffs and blistering attitude. As if the Darkthrone-styled logo didn't clue you in, this is a band all about getting back to the mean, evil roots of black metal.

I don't think anyone has tapped this particular vein of viciousness as well since the early days of Slayer or, I must say it, Mayhem. ToB are definitely Black, but their riffs are burning some high-octane Thrash, and Amduscias' vocals are a raw, throat-bleeding bellow that means that not only can you understand what he's howling, but he sounds like he's going to rip your throat out and eat it. Nothing gobliny about these, oh no. There are no fucking keyboards on this album, no intro track – none of that shit - just slashing slaytanic riffs and hammering drums backing up the evil chanting. In the band photo I can clearly make out an "Under The Sign Of The Black Mark" shirt, and a Warhammer shirt, so that should give you a pretty good idea of what these guys are about. Pure fucking black thrash slayage all the way.