Danish deliverers of groove-laden decadence Volbeat return with their ninth studio album, God of Angels Trust.
With four years between albums—and mastermind Michael Poulsen taking a year out to recover from throat surgery—it truly feels like the planets have aligned with this new offering. Not only does opener “Devils Are Awake” feel like a huge statement of intent, but it’s wrapped in a familiarity that promises so much, with interweaving elements that flow right through into the bass-laden “By a Monster’s Hand”.
“Acid Rain” has all the makings of the perfect road anthem with its catchy, sing-along quality; the chorus is absolutely glorious. This is followed, in stark contrast, by easily the album’s heaviest track, “Demonic Depression”—a piece absolutely littered with atmosphere, and driven by a commanding drum pattern.
“In some ways, it feels like we’ve come full circle,” Poulsen explains. “If you start drawing a circle over an extended period of time, eventually you’re going to get back where you started—and that’s how I feel now. I’ve dealt with medical operations, lineup changes, and all these things, and now it feels like a rebirth. It doesn’t feel like we’re doing our ninth studio album; it feels like we’re on our first album again—and there’s something really refreshing about that.”
“In the Barn of the Goat Giving Birth to Satan’s Spawn in a Dying World of Doom” sounds like it should be performed in the Carpathian Mountains by members covered in corpse paint—but no. It has a sweeping, almost bluegrass quality to it that is undeniably foot-tapping throughout.
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“Time Will Heal” is the album’s ballad, in tone and delivery—hugely emotive through its lyrics—but there really isn’t time to wallow. The fast-paced “Better Be Fueled Than Tamed” bursts in with dominant punk tones, sprinkles of ’80s thrash, and great solos to boot.
There’s a level of intricacy that flows through “At the End of the Sirens” that kept me coming back on more than one occasion to fully appreciate its depth and technicality. Paired with the mid-tempo riff assault of “Lonely Fields”, it makes for another enjoyable section—and yes, the subtle Metallica-like section gave me literal goosebumps!
Considering Volbeat wrote and recorded this entire album in about five weeks is a testament to the band’s talent and ambition—both of which are fully encapsulated in final track “Enlightening the Disorder (By a Monster’s Hand Part 2)”, which closes things out with some wonderfully ominous tones.
Overall, not only will this thrill the band’s dedicated legion of fans, but it will no doubt open the door for a whole wave of new ones.
A razor-sharp, eclectic fulfilment.
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God Of Angels Trust is out 6th June
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