Bathory - Bathory (1984)

Running at just over twenty-five minutes, this is an attempt at Hell on record. Whilst critics were eager to dismiss such wretched black filth as merely a Venom clone, or incomprehensible noise, Bathory, Sweden's kings of black metal, have become one of the most influential bands of all time. Even after mysterious founding member, Quorthon Seth's premature death, his band have become one of the most important bands with regards to the rise of underground music.
Bathory were once a band to be feared, and Quorthon, who was said to have played all the instruments on several early efforts, was often seen in magazines draped in bones and drenched in chicken blood. This may have been a mere shock tactic because let's face, so many heavy metal acts tried similar theatre, but once the record was spinning, one would soon come to realise that this was no jokey farcial record, but something so dank, vicious and punky, no-one believed such a 'fad' would catch on. Fast forward some thirty years and this style of music, to become known as' black metal', is as strong as ever.
'Bathory' is a rusty, under-produced, tinny and black record, born from almost weak, buzzing guitars, drums that sound like they've been recorded in a dustbin, an vocals more suited to Tolkien's 'Lord Of The Rings' books, orc-like as they babble and squeal through nine tracks of mayhem and carnage. It has that Venom feel without a doubt, but this seems far more authentic. Venom probably recorded an album then went down the pub, whereas Quorthon Seth probably spent the night in the forest with wolves after gargling out such putrid shrieks as 'Reaper', 'Sacrifice' and 'In Conspiracy With Satan'.
Such bleak outings were just made for vinyl and the cover artwork was simply to scare your granny.
8.5/10