Bythos – Chthonic Gates Unveiled

Written by on 01-06-2024 at 17:46.

Bythos hails from Finland and made a huge impression about four years ago with The Womb Of Zero. This Finnish trio, consisting of members of Horna, Behexen, Chamber Of Unlight, Ajatarra and the new Night Shall Drape Us, delivered a black metal album via Terratur Possessions that can be considered the Finnish counterpart to the Swedish Dissection. It especially leaned towards the music of this cult band at the time of Reinkaos. Chthonic Gates Unveiled now comes drifting in as if by surprise. The Finnish school has unleashed quite a bit on us in recent weeks and months, and I can already reveal that there is also some wonderfully brilliant new work coming from the crazy choir known as Night Shall Drape Us. But first, the new Bythos.

Will there be a gem on this Chthonic Gates Unveiled like on the previous album? Because back then, the gentlemen tried to turn gold back into lead. Not quite what the alchemists wished for… And with this remark, it’s also immediately clear to you what’s the theme to the previous and this album.

No weak synth or keyboard intro, just sharp and mid-tempo straight in. Lovely, that’s how it should be. In the first bars you hear, the Finns seem to just build on the ideas they displayed on the previous album. So, Divine Endless Night (part I) almost immediately has a pretty ritualistic approach. M.S.’s deeper growling throat is a perfect fit. Then, the ultra-tight hand and footwork of L.R. leads you to the next track, Thoughtless Light, in which those typical biting melodic twin leads, which made such an impression on The Womb Of Zero, are brought back to life. A piano part completes a very strong song.

Raging and pounding, biting and stomping, Wolves Of Hades does this at will, while a thin guitar part together with a hammer blast exposes your hidden dark heart. Delightful, sometimes waltzing themes pass by. You can truly call this Hidden Heart Of Darkness a melodic black metal gem. And where’s the acoustic guitar? Yes, exactly, Resurrection is a quietly flowing guitar interlude. After that the thread is picked up again, and the feet of Mr. L.R. roll us straight into a choir-like harmony: Broken Twines Of Eden.

Bythos brings a particularly strong successor to The Womb Of Zero to the black metal market with Chthonic Gates Unveiled. Mandatory purchase, album for the year-end lists. Even more than the previous album, this new full-length is a more than big nod to the work of Nödtveidt, and rightly so.

Score:

90/100

Label:

Terratur Possessions, 2024

Tracklisting:

  1. Divine Endless Night (part I)
  2. Thoughtless Light
  3. Wolves Of Hades
  4. Hidden Heart Of Darkness
  5. Resurrection
  6.  Broken Twines Of Eden
  7. Ancient Kings Arise
  8. Daimon Of Nullification
  9. Gates Of Apostasy (part II)

Line-up:

  • L.R. – Drums
  • M.S. – Vocals
  • M.L. – Guitars, bass

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