Bloodline
Hate Procession
5.2
With a line-up that features former and current members of Setherial, Naglfar, Ondskapt and Shining (as well as having ex members from the likes of Carpathian Forest and Aborym), you’d think there would be a little more hype for this relative black metal super-group, but when you actually listen to the album, you understand why Bloodline isn't a slightly more revered project.
It’s pretty boring.
Going for a mid paced, steady, ritualistic approach, the generally lengthy songs and interludes plod and march with a droning repetitive gait, that while initially has a somewhat haunting, atmospheric vibe, soon wears thin and the lack of dynamics simply wanes and wears off. Vocalist Wrathyr (Naglfar/ Bewitched/Setherial) gives the album's best performance with a retching, tortured wailing. Throw in some synths/samples and programming, and you basically end up with a poor man's Funeral Mist on barbiturates. None of the riffs really grab you or imbue dread, despite trying to be menacing and hypnotic.
After the intro, the eleven minute "The Great Becoming” and 13 minute “Order of the parasite” simply repeat the same riff for the duration, and throw in some form of spooky/atmospheric tangent and frankly by the time the these two tracks take up almost half the album's run time, I’m bored to tears. The following two songs (“Jerusalem Adagio,” “Day of the Vulture” and two interludes (“The Stampede,” “Total Peace”) seem to be more of the same, and simply lack the vitriol to make mid paced black metal sound insidious and evil. When the scariest most hateful moments on the album are opening and closing spoken word samples, that means the music isn’t cutting it. Snooze Procession is more accurate...
A vast disappointment considering the members.
