It was in 1989 that the underground was shaken by a demo from Canada that introduced the world to War Metal: Blood upon the Altar by Blasphemy. This release became a milestone in Black Metal history, just as their debut album Fallen Angel of Doom would one year later, cementing the foundations of the genre.
Fast forward to the present day and shift focus to Germany, where a vivid and ever-intensifying Black/War Metal scenehas been taking shape for quite some time now. A new contender has stepped into the arena: Blood Altar — and by now, the comparison to Blasphemy should be more than obvious.
Blood Altar was formed in 2023 and features, among others, Necrosadist, formerly the vocalist of Blood Vengeance, though this time not behind the microphone. Vocal duties are handled by V. Tyrant of Stygian Temple. Together with Vulgar Provoker and Mass Grave Masturbator, the band has recently unleashed their debut assault, Inverted Recrucifixion of Pious Martyrs, released independently. The fact that it is available only on CD does little to diminish its destructive impact.
Blood Altar describes their sound as “Unholy Barbaric War Metal”, an accurate definition of what is delivered here. Expect the bestial chaos of Blasphemy, the primitive violence of Black Witchery, and the deranged darkness of early Beherit. Walls of relentless blast beats filled with unpredictable flourishes, rapid-fire riffs, chaotic and filthy solos, and vocals that sound like invocations summoned from the deepest pits of hell.
Lyrically, there is no room for subtlety: total devotion to the lord of darkness, unfiltered blasphemy, and nothing but venom spat toward that one figure from Nazareth. Inverted Recrucifixion of Pious Martyrs is a merciless attack on everything that claims holiness — raw, violent, and drenched in pure hatred.
The production is spot on as well — deliberately rough around the edges, never overly clean, yet clear and powerful enough for every element to hit with full force. The guitars remain filthy and abrasive, the drums thunder without sounding plastic, and the bass adds weight without getting lost in the chaos. Everything is well mixed and mastered, striking the perfect balance between rawness and impact, exactly how War Metal is supposed to sound.
So if you’re craving a proper dose of old-school War Metal, uncompromising and violent, or if you’ve been secretly hoping for a new Blasphemy release after more than three decades, Inverted Recrucifixion of Pious Martyrs might just serve as a worthy and satisfying substitute.
75/100