Behexen "My Soul For His Glory" CD

My Soul For His Glory is a turning point for Behexen. On this album the band has demonstrated the new sound. Actually, every Behexen's album has something own, different from any other full length. It's true even in relation the first and the second albums, which overall are quite similar. Maybe everything is seen this way, because the band isn't very prolific (what brings its dividends), so the sound changing isn't gradual.
My Soul For His Glory is less aggressive, than the previous albums, but it is even darker. And its material is diverse in terms of the moods, of the pace and other criterias including the vocals. Torog has developed a new manner. Now his screaming isn't that high-pitched and caustic, it's less expressive, but grimmer. Torog uses growling as well and quite often his vocals become a so-called mix of screaming and growling. Furthermore, there are some clean vocals.
So, the new sound isn't that fierce in comparison to the previous one, but the role of the atmosphere is more important on the My Soul For His Glory. As it has already been mentioned, Behexen's music became darker there. It established a kind of a mystical atmosphere, with a sort of an occult vibe. Interesting is the fact, that the album is holistic and the distinctive atmosphere can be noticed throughout it, while the material varies in songwriting approaches from one composition to another.
There are compositions, which are closer to classical black metal sound. For example, "Cathedral Of The Ultimate Void" and "Demonic Fleshtemple". They are dynamic, based on characteristic tremolo riffs. Yet most of the compositions have some specific features. For example, album opening "Let The Horror And Chaos Come" is mid-paced and sounds like a black metal march. While album closing "My Stigmas Bleeding Black" has a more tragic and tense mood.
Some of the compositions stand out even more. For example, "6.6.6.", which is the slowest on the album. It settles a depressive feeling. No lyrics is listed to this track and formally it is an instrumental, but there is some background sorrowful moaning, which make the depressive atmosphere more persuasive. "And All Believers Shall Be Damned" stands out as the fastest composition. It's still not that fierce, as Behexen used to be in the past, but it's impetuous and kinda wild.
Among all the masterpieces of My Soul For His Glory the couple of compositions still can be put above the others. Those are "Born In The Serpent Of The Abyss" and the title track of the album. "Born In The Serpent Of The Abyss" starts fast and harsh, with the bulldozer-like distortion, but eventually it slows down to a deep, ritualistic part, which sounds absolutely spectacular. And "My Soul For His Glory" has a catchy chorus with clean chanting and even more march-like melodies, than on the opening composition.
My Soul For His Glory is a remarkable work. Behexen has successfully introduced his new sound, which embodies the band's darkness from the other perspective. It's interesting to listen to such music. And it's commendable, that with all its diversity the material remains to be black metal in a one of the grimmest forms of the last. The new era has begun for the band.

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