Beleth’s Trumpet – Chapel of Bones Review

By Tyme

Beleth, recognized as a king of Hell with 85 demonic legions under his command, was the 13th of the 72 spirits summoned by Solomon. When first invoked, Beleth often appears as fiery and furious in various forms, ranging from that of a wizened old man to a demon with a man’s body but the head of a cat.1 Primarily called upon by those seeking to establish or strengthen a love relationship, Beleth purportedly arrives riding a pale horse with many musical instruments, mainly trumpets, playing before him. Why do I impart this amount of demonological information? One, I think it’s pretty fucking cool, and two, there’s not a lot of information available about Finland’s Beleth’s Trumpet. Formed in 2023 with only one EP under its belt—the four songs from which were reworked and included here—Beleth’s Trumpet communed with Dominance of Darkness Records to release its first album, Chapel of Bones. Will this blackened Finnish foursome be the troupe of musicians chosen to herald the demon king’s arrival, or will they be relegated to the seventh circle in need of more practice?

Beleth’s Trumpet plays straightforward black metal of the early 2000s variety. Chapel of Bones, a rawly produced tremolo-fest, is primarily a harbinger of Shatraug’s coming as it so closely mirrors the earliest works of Sargeist and Horna as to be nearly indistinguishable. Those familiar with Satanic Black Devotion or Envaatnags Eflos Solf Esgantaavne will have heard most of what Beleth’s Trumpet is doing here, albeit with less aplomb. Goecrus and vhvvdth tremolollygag their way through Chapel of Bones’ nearly forty-three minutes in sprays of undulating guitar waves with no solos in sight. Deathcripple, yes, Deathcripple lays down loads of blasphemous blast beats and cymbal splashes that, when combined with the bass work of M.SF, who also performs some nicely multi-layered vocals, serve as the steed upon which Beleth’s Trumpet rides. Black metal of this ilk relies heavily on the strength of its songwriting to convey emotional weight engagingly, and where Shatraug has become a master of this, Beleth’s Trumpet has work to do.

Safely confined to its lane, the guitar lines and melodies on Chapel of Bones suffer from black metal banality. Storming forth from Hell’s Gate, the uninspiring “Triumphant Voice of Beleth,” with its pallid guitar progressions and less than accurately executed leads, gave me of little faith, not much hope for the future. ‘Safe’ best describes most of the choices Beleth’s Trumpet makes, which consequently impacts memorability. Most of the songs on Chapel of Bones pass by in a kazoo-like haze, a litany of tremolo-drone that zaps engagement quicker than the mind-erasing gadget from Men in Black. And it’s for this reason that, aside from what I first thought was someone eating chips in the mic during the intro to “Chapel of Bones,” the title track and others (“Clandestine Ritual,” “Death’s Cold Hand”) left no impression on me whatsoever.

Harsh as I’ve been on Beleth’s Trumpet, there are some glimmers of a band that might be. With its solo bass intro, “Mass Grave (of the Angels)” sets itself well ahead of the pack with shimmering cascades of tremolos that sound almost hopeful as they simultaneously launch into memorably melancholic progressions. Add to this the inclusion of some light synths in the background for dramatic effect, and the track wins Chapel of Bones’ best-in-show hands down. Other standout moments include the bass plucks of “Black Light,” which ring out like tolling bells, or the miasmic, dissonant guitar progressions of “Extermination of God’s Dominion” that move like a drunken sailor navigating an undulating ship’s deck and, while off putting at first listen, grew on me with repetition. These spurts of quality, though, are just too few and far between to elevate the whole of Chapel of Bones beyond mediocrity.

With a cool concept surrounding the demon king Beleth and the many instruments that precede his arrival, Beleth’s Trumpet missed the mark by settling for too safe. I mean, I didn’t hear one fucking trumpet, and I believe that leaning further into the concept by weaving a smidge of symphony into a style so traditionally bare-boned would push them over the edge and onto the map as a band to watch. As it stands, Beleth’s Trumpet has promise, and I’ll be interested to see what they do after laying this Chapel of Bones to rest.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 8 | Format Reviewed: 320kbps mp3
Labels: Dominance of Darkness Records | Korpituli Productions Bandcamp
Websites: Bandcamp | Instagram
Releases Worldwide: July 1st, 2025

 

#25 #2025 #BelethSTrumpet #BlackMetal #ChapelOfBones #DominanceOfDarknessRecords #FinnishBlackMetal #Horna #Jul25 #KorpituliProductions #Review #Sargeist

Sarastus – Agony Eternal Review

By Kenstrosity

If you follow the Finnish, or even the wider Scandinavian black metal scene, you might know about Finnish trio Sarastus. I would never have known about them, though, if it weren’t for AMG Hisselves telling Dr. A. N. Grier to listen to them and cover this. Of course, because I’m an opportunistic bastard with a ravenous appetite for shenanigans—and because Grier slept on the promo pool until he was sunburned to a smoking chunk of stinky charcoal—I swiped it right from under his nose. Sucks to suck, loser! Now I’m here, spinning Sarastus’ third opus, Agony Eternal, and reveling in the fact that I stole something that just happened to be worth stealing from not one, but two upper management. You’re welcome.

Undergoing some lineup changes between records before finalizing the current spread in 2023, Sarastus comes alive on Agony Eternal, bursting with vitality and verve. The sonic format at its core remains unchanged from what already exists in the black metal arsenal: blast beats, frigid tremolos, buzzing production, fierce rasps, and fiery melodies. Rarely, though, in the modern school at least, do these ingredients coalesce into a record as blistering and infectious as Agony Eternal. Reminiscent of Kvaen and Rimfrost in its infernal lustiness and musical effervescence, all of Agony Eternal’s nine tightly written tracks offer an array of sharp hooks, meaty riffs, and standout vocal performances that put Sarastus far ahead of the majority of their peers.

Agony Eternal serves as a prime example of a record that doesn’t need to do anything new to make a big splash. Even if opening duo “Gravelust” and “Agony Eternal” snatch my attention with a staggering immediacy—credit for this goes to a surprisingly black n’ roll riffset, dynamic songwriting, and a swaggering sense of confidence—it’s “Into Eternity” and “Where Cruelty Never Ends” that catch my adoring gaze. The melodies that lift me into the stratosphere in both songs create a euphoric state that never fully dissipates. Remarkably smooth transitions in rhythm and structure activate an animal instinct in my brain that ensures headbanging and windmilling at extreme intensities. In concert, these characteristics generate an immense momentum that bestows gravity and heft to the slower mid-paced stomp that pounds “No Horizon” deep into my skull. With all manner of screeches, riffs, leads, and patterns to guide my way forward, the remainder of Agony Eternal follows through on the promise that “Into Eternity” and its neighbors aren’t just a white-hot flash in the pan. Later highlights “Metamorphosis,” “Into the Lair,” and massive closer “1644” stand tall as fast and free explosions of joyous, blackened revelry that recalls Vimur in their vicious attack and vicarious spirit.

Dispensing with a compartmentalized evaluation of its constituent numbers, Agony Eternal still shines. Put another way, Agony Eternal is a nonstop party. With almost poppy energy, Sarastus captured with remarkable simplicity and undeniable effectiveness the passion and conviction that made black metal of this kind a sensation. But, when I listen to songs like “From Pride, to Shame, to Misery,” I can hear more than just black metal purism. I hear a confident, exuberant soul rooted in rock n’ roll rebellion, forged in timeless techniques, and steeped in metallic traditions across the spectrum. In this way, Sarastus honor the great many talents across history that allowed a record like Agony Eternal to exist. In that spirit, this feels like a loving tribute not just to black metal itself, but to the greater community of artists and audiences that laid the groundwork.

Even so, Agony Eternal is imperfect, but only slightly. There are one or two brief moments where the vocals break my immersion by breaking a bit themselves (see the very end of “Where Cruelty Never Ends”), though this disruptive effect dulls with repeat spins and a little patience. I also wish that, despite the wonderfully roomy and natural mix and master, the bass was beefier still and the vocals pulled back just a smidge. Additionally, opener “Gravelust” might be the only song that, mostly in retrospect, doesn’t meet the same lofty standard of its album mates. It’s got all the right attributes, but the execution feels lacking by comparison. As a final nitpick, after a dozen focused listens, I do think a few riffs here and there undergo one or three too many repetitions, especially when they are more than strong enough to stand out with fewer (“1644”). No matter. At the end of the night, Agony Eternal is a resounding success, and I wholeheartedly recommend any metal fan to give it your ear (and your soul)!

Rating: Great!
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Dominance of Darkness Records
Websites: sarastus.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/sarastusjaikuisuus
Releases Worldwide: July 1st, 2025

#2025 #40 #AgonyEternal #BlackMetal #DominanceOfDarknessRecords #FinnishMetal #Jul25 #Kvaen #MelodicBlackMetal #Review #Reviews #Rimfrost #Sarastus #Vimur