THE MYSTICAL BEAST OF REBELLION

Reviewing an album like The Mystical Beast of Rebellion is a pretty difficult task for me. Black metal is one of my favorite types of music, and this album is often considered one of the seminal albums in the experimental/atonal style of the genre. Blut Aus Nord has created an album that succeeds in terms of dissonant riffing and blast beats, but my personal enjoyment is limited at best. The variation between tracks is almost nonexistent, and picking out more than one or two riffs once the album is over can prove to be a challenge. This may be an essential masterpiece for some black metal fans, but I'll take some Burzum and Emperor classics over this one any day of the week.

The music here is old school black metal characterized by extremely dissonant and atonal riffs, sharp vocals, and almost exclusively blast beats. There are a few calmer moments, but they are few and far between. The Mystical Beast of Rebellion simply doesn't have enough variation to justify its playing time (which is a problem since the original album is only 41 minutes). I guess you could consider the album to be an "epic" of sorts, seeing that every song is simply titled "The Fall Chapter I, II, III, etc.". If you get the Debemur Morti reissue, you get three bonus tracks that make up "The Fall Chapter 7". This monster track ends up being the best song on the entire album, so I'd certainly recommend checking out this version if you're going to buy this album nowadays.

The production is very raw and unpolished, but I personally enjoy the sound. The guitars have that distinct "buzzing" sound of the early black metal movement, and the vocals are also just right in the mix.

The Mystical Beast of Rebellion is a classic album that most self-respecting black metal fans own, but it's a somewhat difficult listen for these ears. The lack of variation and remarkable riffs ultimately diminish my experience. Blut Aus Nord's third outing is a groundbreaking record, though, and that certainly shouldn't go unnoticed. If you like black metal that's dissonant, atonal, and just plain evil, The Mystical Beast of Rebellion should be in your collection for sure. Seeing that my personal enjoyment is limited, though, the most I can give is 2.5 stars. This one is essential if you want to understand black metal, but I'd recommend proceeding with caution.