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WHORE OF BETHLEHEM
Upon Judas’ Throne

Self-released (2014)
Rating: 8/10

Texas troupe Whore Of Bethlehem is sure to turn heads and burn ears with their debut outing, Upon Judas’ Throne.

To fill you in on the gory details, this Austin-based quintet formed back in 2009 and released its debut demo, The Crowning Moment, in 2012. The current line-up consists of vocalist James Vandenberg, bassist Ellis Smith (who joined in 2014), drummer Rene Martinez, and guitarists Ron Sylvie and Phil King.

The album spews forth ten tracks which I’d slot in between the devilish ferocity of Deicide and Behemoth; those gargantuan vocals of utter arrogance coupled with a variety of satanically influenced riffs means that although the tempo is altered throughout, this is an album that barks and bites in equal measure.

If you like fast death metal then you’ve got it here; but if occasionally you like respite from the vicious nature of this style of music then you’ll get that too with deep, scarring jolts of juggernaut riffing. Both of these styles are typified with the monstrous ‘Nocturnal’, which even approaches the abrasive trends of hideous black metal.

Whore Of Bethlehem is another of these relatively new bands successfully bringing together the two most extreme styles of metal – black and death – so that the listener is engulfed by vile waves of blasphemy. I’m thinking of Morbid Angel at its most perverse when I hear the twisted riffs of ‘Storm Of Plague’, while with the ugliness of ‘Christ Crusher’ we’re dealt a steadier groove that exudes menace via those barking vocal snaps and bruising skin thumps.

One can tell that these guys have been on the scene for a while, and although this debut album may not be the most original thing you’ll hear, it appears that as well as destroying the image of Christ it’s other intention is to bark furiously into your face until you submit to the unholy fires it has created from your speakers. The guttural ‘Castle Of Meth’ is a demonic demonstration featuring dense melody and a squirming guitar motion reeking of early to mid 90s sickness, while ‘Detest The Belief’ opens with Slayer-like arrogance before it transforms into a hyper-cacophony of manic percussion and flailing rhythms.

There’s no denying the sheer belligerence and blistering hatred that this album has to offer, and these would be the last guys I’d want to piss off so it’s lucky for me then that I’ve enjoyed being scalped by this blasphemous blend of weighty black metal and hostile death metal. But to those who find themselves opposing Whore Of Bethlehem, well… enjoy your death!

Neil Arnold

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