Artist: Bestial Possession
Country: Sweden
Label: Self-Released
Formats: Digital EP
Year: 2026
Despite being around for over twenty-five years, a few months ago I covered the Peruvian band Bestial Possession for the first time. But what we have here though, is not the Peruvian band, but a Swedish band with the same name who debuts with a self-released digital EP called ‘Sepulchral Rites’. Although this band is Swedish, the shared name with the aforementioned Peruvians is not the only link to the South American continent. Musically, the Swedish band Bestial Possession draws from roughly the same sources of inspiration. As the title already suggests, this is old school Death/Black Metal of the roughest and most unpolished kind.
Before we delve into this twenty-minute EP, it is worth mentioning that although choosing band names that have already been used is typically done by young musicians, that is certainly not the case here. This duo consists of J.M. van Malign, ex-IXXI and ex-Lifelover as well as of C.H.a.O. of Blodtår. That doesn’t acquit them of the fact that they don’t seem to have done their research properly when choosing the band name, but it does raise expectations on a musical level. Malign in particular is very highly regarded by me personally.
Of course, it’s not easy to incorporate some musicality into the blind rage that typically characterizes the Death/Black Metal genre. And actually, that’s usually not necessary, or even undesirable. But I expect two seasoned and talented musicians to at least try. And, let me start by saying that they did just that, and they succeeded with flying colours.
A large part of the music presented here by the Swedish duo could be characterized as that blind rage, but there is certainly more at play here. To begin with, it is clear that J.M. is a gifted drummer, assuming that he is also beating the skins here. This is not the standard woodcutter’s approach, but interesting fills and rolls are used here without detracting anything from the virulent aggression. But there is also a clear focus on the atmosphere and feeling that the music should convey. The use of a short film sample and bloodcurdling cries, which, with the necessary reverb, make your eardrums burst, give the music a disturbing atmosphere.
But what sticks with me most about ‘Sepulchral Rites’ is actually at the end of this EP. The closing track, ‘Hordes Of The Sworn’, is the absolute highlight. It’s a dazzling song that combines quite epic classic Heavy Metal structures and chords à la Metallica and Manowar with the ancient Black Metal of Celtic Frost, Darkthrone, and especially Bathory. It sounds so wonderfully familiar that I even checked to see if it was a cover. In this song, the chaos has been completely replaced by First Wave Black Metal, and you could debate whether it fits in with the rest of the EP, but I’m not complaining.
