When I first got my hands on this album, I knew what to expect, since I had been told about Blot Mine by a friend. He said I’d love their music, knowing that I’ve always had a weakness for fast BM, and he was right. I’ve always been a huge admirer of the Swedish Black Metal scene & "Porphyrogenesis"
was just the kind of CD anyone who appreciates the above-mentioned style should buy.
Let’s start with the lyrics. Don’t expect anything Satanic or antichristian. The thoughts expressed here are dark ones, but I will not attempt to interpret or even label them. An overall view of the band’s opinions and ideals can be found on their official site. So if you ‘re seeking bands with typical BM lyrics, you’ll be disappointed!
Musically speaking, this is a fast album, yet more melodic than other releases stemming from Sweden. So even though you will find the typical Dark Funeral / Setherial kind of speed, there will be no hateful, dismal side to “Porphyrogenesis”. Instead, the focus here is on the beauty of the melodies, with extremely catchy harmonies and arpeggios. Still, as on any CD that falls under the typical Swedish BM genre, the stress is on dual guitars (sometimes even 3 guitars), used to create a full soundwall that can satisfy any fan.
Let us go further into the details, shall we? The first track is “GREATER THAN LIFE”, and it’s a song that really encapsulates the atmosphere and style of the whole album. If you fail to like the riffs and melodies included in it, then listening further would be a waste of time for you. Personally, I think the song is a very good choice for an opening track. It’s fast enough, yet includes sufficient tempo changes. The second song is “ SHA NAGBA IMURU”, and from the outset, it becomes all too clear that it will be a damn fast and melodic one. The title itself sounds like a name taken straight out of a story by H. P. Lovecraft. Again, this is a very good track. “MY SOUL IN FURY FLEW” is third in order. It’s the only song that is rather slow-paced and maybe for this reason, it’s my least favorite. However, the guitar dual work gets interesting a couple of minutes into the track and is quite reminiscent of Dissection in its feeling, which is a plus by my book. “DUMU-ABZU-KE” is next and has more than just a seemingly Lovecraftian title. The lyrics are a sort of incantation that could’ve been taken from the Necronomicon itself! It may seem to be less melodic at first, but the second riff brings things back to the melodic and catchy norm. After many listenings , this song became one of my preferred ones on the CD. “WITHOUT WORDS” is track nr.5. Well, I WILL try to use words to describe it , even if these do fail me in this case: this is in my opinion the best song on “Porphyrogenesis”! As Swedish sounding as it gets , it has the power to draw you in and take your breath away with its beautifully sorrowful yet quick-paced riffs… Excellent BM is what this is! The next song bears the title “FRAGMENTED RED SUN” and carries on in the atmosphere created by the previous hymns. The speed is the weapon again and one cannot complain that it lacks the riff quality heard throughout the CD, far from that! It’s simply awesome!. Now what can I say about “OFF TO WAR”! It belongs to the best efforts on “Porphyrogenesis” and is awesome in its hectic pace, yet filled with beauty! Fans of Dissection might hear some similarities in the guitarwork , though of course the music is more BM here. The CD is rounded off by “SHADOWS FROM HIGH-HELL”, a song slightly slower than most but not weaker in quality or mood. I think having a final track with a bit of a different pace (even if it DOES get fast in some riffs) is more than welcome.
All I can say, to end this review, is that “Porphyrogenesis”, just like Blot Mine as a band, is extremely underrated and surely deserves more respect that the albums released by bands who think that Black Metal is only about playing as fast as you can! So if you hunger for good Swedish BM, this CD is a gem that should be in your collection!
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