RSS Feed


MÖRGHUUL
Domination Of The Beast

Doomentia (2024)
Rating: 8/10

With its sloppy 80s styled artwork, Domination Of The Beast is the work of Czechian extreme metallers Mörghuul. These guys play a black, leathery brand of speed metal that wouldn’t have been amiss on the underground South American scene decades ago.

With snaking guitar work that cracks like a whip, this album should be given credit for its slickness even with its attempts to sound raw and blasphemous. The record comes in at under 30 minutes so it’s all delivered in a quite tight and precise manner and is far from being the cheesy platter I was expecting, even with track titles like ‘Crushing The Holy Scum’, ‘Slüt Queen’ and, worst of all, ‘Mefismoshfeles’.

After a rather doomy intro the band launches into ‘Crypts Of Thrashing Torment’ which is a fizzing black n’ roll composition of total speed and some rather high n’ harsh vocal snaps courtesy of Matěj Kunc. The yelps are an acquired taste but suit the mayhemic vim that ensues. Think of early Slayer, vintage Kreator, old Sodom and Destruction; the sort of sleek and pinching dynamics that squeak like Kerry King’s leather trousers circa 1983.

‘Crypts Of Thrashing Torment’ is a big favourite due to its catchy introductory melody, and Kunc seems to add an extra ark to his tone, but for me the real star of the show is axe man Victor Heža who truly sizzles with blackened majesty throughout. His style is certainly based on old school mechanics, but there’s such a sinister squirming to his playing, particularly on ‘Priesthunt’ and another favourite of mine ‘Omen’ with its brilliant mid-tempo glint.

What could easily have been a generic satanic romp turns out to be one of my favourite releases of the year so far; an unholy whirligig of an outing that’s the musical equivalent to having Lucifer himself let off a firework in your face while the flames of Hades scorch your arse. Play this alongside any Hellcrash record and be double teamed into submission.

Neil Arnold

<< Back to Album & EP Reviews



Related Posts via Categories
Share