Both emerging in 1991, Hate has always been in the shadow of Polish blackened death metallers Behemoth… yet this time, the dynamic may have reversed. Hailing from the capital, the Warsaw extremists have just let loose their thirteenth beast – Bellum Regiis, translated to War of Royalty, via Metal Blade Records. Meanwhile, Behemoth‘s new record is titled (try your best not to cringe)… The Shit ov God.
Dressed for a goth masquerade, Adam ‘the First Sinner’ Buszko growls out viciously aside guest vocalist Eliza Sacharczuk (Patriarkh). The video for single “Iphigenia” dons a bloody ritual of slit throats and blood drinking, directed by Błażej Jankowiak.
With other noteworthy pieces including “The Vanguard” or “A Ghost of Lost Delight,” Bellum Regiis is a must-listen this year for death and black metal fans. Props to the record’s production team, including producer David Castillo (Katatonia, Leprous) and mastering by Tony Lindgren (Enslaved, Rotting Christ).