Artist: Lord Belial
Country: Sweden
Label: Hammerheart Records
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2025
Admittedly, my relationship with Lord Belial has not always been one of true love. When I first ran into the band, some quarter of a century ago, I was intrigued by the band name and imagery at the time, but the music didn’t really stick with me. Then, when I saw them live for the first time, in the early 00’s when they played near my home town with Ancient Rites, I wasn’t very impressed either. After that the albums the band released weren’t very appealing, making my verdict on the band not much more positive. However, a few years ago I gave them another shot. Whether or not it was just a matter of the band popping up at a better time, with me giving them an honest chance or anything else… Lord Belial earned their just place in my collection.
Still I think that their later records are slightly less interesting, but surely not as bad as I thought they were. But especially the first three albums I think are worthy of a much wider recognition as they initially got, even if ‘Unholy Crusade’ had a bit of a grainy production and an overall more harsh character. While they might not enter my top-something of favorite bands, I still regularly listen to some of their tracks and albums. And, their comeback album from 2022, ‘Rapture’, released by Hammerheart Records, was certainly a welcome return. As ever, Lord Belial showed themselves as a solid Black Metal band that really has something to bring to the table. Not so much in terms of originality or in outstanding musicianship, but that which they may slightly lack, they make up in utter enjoyability. Something that is definitely not to be underestimated in an overcrowded landscape of thousands of bands aiming for the top their respective food chains.
And, frankly, ‘Unholy Trinity’ is another such album. Yet, it is not just a logical continuation of what Lord Belial had done on ‘Rapture’. Even at this point in their lengthy career these Swedish veterans still know to perfect their craft. Maybe not by landslides, but still. ‘Unholy Trinity’ is a clear step up from ‘Rapture’ when it comes to exciting song writing and to catchy melodicism. Just as its predecessor, ‘Unholy Trinity’ seems to perfectly combine the melody and atmosphere of their first two albums and the more powerful character of the albums that would follow. You could call it the best of both or just an evidently more mature band that has a stronger will and clearer idea of what they want with the band.
With its almost 50 minutes, this newest offering is a tad long and one can make a good case that the album would have benefited from just a song or two less. Yet, it is hard to deny that with this amount of melody and dynamics, it is not a tiresome ride at all. In fact, it is a very easy album for the ears – which I mean in a complimentary way. It doesn’t make your head spin and it will not change your perspective on the (Melodic) Black Metal genre, but it definitely is – as said – a fun and overall enjoyable listen.
