Popular with traditional metal adherents due to their nostalgic ‘70s hard rock sound with a translucent NWOBHM influence and supported by black metallers because of their Satanic image and camaraderie with Swedish black metal celebrities Watain, The Devil’s Blood have done exceptionally well for a band as young as they are.

With ‘The Thousandfold Epicentre’, the group continue with their retro ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelic hard rock recipe.  Like Coven before them, the music of The Devil’s Blood is highly theatrical and evokes ritualistic themes throughout.  Songs meander in a hazy manner but are well defined, as heard in ‘On the Wings of Gloria’.  Other tracks have a subtle belligerent and insistent tone, such as ‘Cruel Lover’.  The vocals of F (aka The Mouth of Satan) vary between sensual deep tones and higher pitched singing, laminating the music with a film of decadence.

Due to the expanded diversity, it is safe to say that this is an improvement on the much lauded début full-length ‘The Time of No Time Evermore’. The only way for this band is upwards and they certainly understand this.

Reviewed by Elena Francis
The Thousandfold Epicentre is out now on Van Records

You’ll like this if… you want sophisticated Satanism