Haemoth – In Nomine Odium

“This is the soundtrack to your worst nightmare: Life”.  So says the press release accompanying this album from French black metallers Haemoth.  If your life is unrelentingly bleak, filled with plague and pestilence, nasty and noxious, then this probably is your soundtrack.  This is music made by musicians unapologetically in league with Satan.  And it is so damn good.

I have written before about my love of French black metal.  I have never been to France, so I don’t know what it is about that fair country that provides us with such quality black metal, but this is definitely the grade A good stuff.  This is what black metal should sound like.  This is how black metal should make you feel.  Hopeless.   Haunted.  Forlorn.  The music is menacing, virulent, and vehement.  There is no doubt about how these guys feel about life on planet Earth when you listen to this music.  Any effort that can make you feel things to this degree is worth taking note of, whether you actually like the particular genre of music or not.  Music should take you somewhere and make you feel.  Maybe that’s what makes this stuff so good.

The song titles give you an idea of where this is headed before you even give it a listen.  “Odium”.   “Slaying The Blind”.  “Demonik Omniscience”.  “Spiritual Pestilence”.  “Disgrace”.  “Son Of The Black Light”.  “….And Then Came The Decease”.  This ain’t no party, or disco, or foolin’ around.  This is flat out war on humanity, Christianity, goodness, light, happiness, and all related topics and ideas.  There are ambient passages on this album that will absolutely creep you the fuck out, that will make you check to be sure the lights are on in the house and go check out any noises you hear.  Because there are times when you just aren’t sure if Satan and his minions might be coming up through your kitchen floor.

So personal confession time; I don’t know what it is about music like this, but it actually relaxes me.  It soothes me.  Maybe deep down inside I’m just a sociopathic hater of mankind, maybe I can’t wait until the Dark Lord rises up to take dominion over this world.  To see the dawn of a new day when, to quote Black Sabbath, “Satan laughing spreads his wings”.  Maybe I’m not the happy go lucky guy most people see me as.  Maybe I’m someone you should just stay away from.

But I think it’s more likely that I just love music that makes me feel.  I love music that exposes thoughts and ideas, even if they are a little controversial or outside of the mainstream.  Or maybe that’s just what I want you to think, so your guard is down when I bury an axe deep into your skull.

 - ODIN