Maniac Butcher "Barbarians" CD Reissue Digipack (Bonustrack)

1995 was a bit of a turning point for black metal. By this time, Scandinavian second wave pioneers like Darkthrone and Immortal had already released albums that are considered the pinnacle of their discographies. Additionally, stalwarts like Emperor and Enslaved had already released high quality albums with their own brand of experimentation prior to '95. Sweden had also made its mark on the scene with groundbreaking releases by bands like Marduk, Dark Funeral and Dissection among others. All eyes were on the North when it came to black metal at this time. However, Eastern Europe was about to make its own mark on the black metal scene. Formed in 1992 in Žatec, Czechia, Maniac Butcher came from rather humble beginnings. After two demos of competent raw black/death metal, Maniac Butcher really found their sound with the release of their debut LP "Barbarians".
Beginning with what sounds like battle horses neighing and rushing towards the battlefield, the Czech horde made their intentions very clear... They were young, hungry and ready for war! After the opening sample, the listener is greeted with the sound of raw guitars and blast beats. The production on this album is the perfect marriage of being raw, yet very balanced and appropriately underground. All instruments can be heard clearly enough without sacrificing the alluring rawness. One thing that is immediately clear is how well rehearsed and tight the entire band sounds. Sure, this isn't technical death metal levels of musicianship, but you can tell that the Maniac Butcher horde put in a lot of time and work perfecting these songs before recording this album.
On the surface, raw guitars and blast beats might sound like I'm describing just another Black Metal band. However, the riffs of Vlad Blasphemer beg to differ. From the very opening riffs to the song "Barbarians" to the closing song "The End of Messiah", your ears will be treated to some of the most killer, memorable guitar work of any 90's era black metal release. Not only is there the obvious influence of the Norwegian second wave bands, but there's an obvious emphasis on catchy, hook driven riffs. I can't tell you how many times I've had various riffs and passages from this album stuck in my head ever since discovering this album years ago. The overall feeling is one of war, barbarism, evil and the love of playing metal music. Another strength that this album possesses in the songwriting department is how diverse it is. Though we can hear a lot of tremolo picking and blast beats, there are a lot of tempo changes and different rhythms employed throughout. You won't mistake this album for anything but true black metal, but they were not afraid to include the odd breakdown, doomy passage or mid tempo rockish passage. The closing song "End of Messiah" is an excellent example of this, being a mainly slower number that utilizes a very odd, yet great double kick triplet rhythm throughout most of the song.
Another factor that makes this album (and the band in general) a treat for the true black metal maniacs (no pun intended!) would be the vocals of Barbarüd Hrom. HIs style is incredibly unique, vomitting forth some seriously inhuman sounding vocals that do much more than ape the Norwegian pioneers. Barbarüd Hrom's style is more of a mid/lower approach than a screechy one, which sounds amazing and absolutely killer to my ears. I seldomly hear black metal vocalists. old or new who remind me of Barbarüd Hrom... he is truly a one-of-a-kind front man within the genre. He has the perfect voice to convey the somewhat simple, yet very effective lyrics used in the songs. Though many of these songs are in their native tongue, English translations were provided so a wide audience can relish in the blasphemy found within.
Aside from what has already been mentioned, there is a tangible energy and ethusiasm that can be felt throughout the duration of the album. At just above 30 minutes long, the album is short and sweet. Overall, this is an absolute blast to listen to and comes highly recommended to any fans of true, raw 90's style black metal. Maniac Butcher would go on to craft more killer albums before the untimely passing of Vlad Blasphemer in 2015, all of which come highly recommended. However, one should look no further than this incredible debut for a perfect introduction to this maniacal Czech horde.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...