Black Beast

Today, Primitive Reaction announces November 25th as the international release date for the highly anticipated second album of Finland’s Black Beast, Arctic Darkness.

For many years, Black Beast were the great “what if?” of Finnish black metal. Formed in 2002, when Finnish black metal was just beginning to assert its dominance over the underground, Black Beast released a self-titled 7″ EP in 2005 and, a year later, a split album with comrades Bloodhammer, which was the first release by a then-young Primitive Reaction. Across both recordings, the then-duo exhibited a sound that slotted well alongside the prevailing Finnish paradigm, yet they refreshingly exuded a Motorheaded aspect (or at least one Venomous) that was asskicking to the extreme.

Strangely, the name Black Beast thereafter receded into the shadows, only to appear once again in 2019 with their long-awaited debut album, Nocturnal Bloodlust. Now a power-trio, Black Beast indeed picked up exactly where they left off…and then pumped that quintessential Finnish black metal full of black magick, witchcraft, and (of course) nocturnal bloodlust. The result was just as asskicking as before, charging hard and giving no quarter, but the trio also managed to lace that waste with a tasteful touch of atmosphere, underlining that they truly are a BLACK METAL band above all.

Presumably here to stay, Black Beast return to survey the carnage with second album Arctic Darkness. A simple-yet-elegant title, Arctic Darkness is the sound of Black Beast maximizing that atmosphere. The Motorcharge is most definitely still there, as is the almost-sexual surge suggestive of classic Impaled Nazarene – grandfathers of both Finnish black metal AND bringing back the Motorhead influence into black metal at large – but with a subtly subliminal glaze of synths and a wider variation of tempos and general songcraft, the now-quartet march into new realms across this Arctic Darkness (bassist Xilocybe joined the band prior to the album); just witness the utterly EPIC ten-minute closer, “Hymn of the Freezing Wind,” where clean ‘n’ chorused guitars play counterpoint to a sleazy four-on-the-floor beat…truly, this landscape is a much more brazen one.

No more “what if?” and just more of WHAT IS, Black Beast plant their feet firmly in the snow with Arctic Darkness.

Plant your own feet in that snow with the brand-new track “Black Magic and Witchcraft” here:

Cover and tracklisting are as follows:

Tracklisting for Black Beast (Finland)’s Arctic Darkness
1. Intro [1:50]
2. Black Magic and Witchcraft [4:27]
3. Fullmoon [4:46]
4. Sadistic Act in Demonic Lust    [4:17]
5. Four Days in Paradise of Fornication    [3:25]
6. Depths of Damnation [4:32]
7. Kuoleman Kylmästä Kosketuksesta [1:48]
8. Night of the Arctic Darkness    [3:21]
9. I am He [3:16]
10. Summon the Angels [5:17]
11. Hymn of the Freezing Wind [10:28]

Today, reanimated Finnish black metal cult Black Beast stream the entirety of their LONG-awaited debut album, Nocturnal Bloodlust . Set for international release on November 8th via Primitive Reaction, hear Black Beast‘s Nocturnal Bloodlust in its entirety here:

Formed in the dark days of 2002, Black Beast made their public debut in 2005 with a self-titled 7″ EP. Back then, the band’s native black metal underground was making an international name for itself, and has since established itself as one of black metal’s most immediately identifiable idioms, not to mention one of the most enduring. The Black Beast EP introduced the duo with violent, vulgar aplomb, slotting well alongside their erstwhile Finnish contemporaries and yet exhibiting a refreshingly Motorheaded aspect (or at least one Venomous). They quickly capitalized on that enviable momentum with an even stronger showing the next year on a split album with comrades Bloodhammer, which was the first release by a then-young Primitive Reaction. Then, nothing…the Black Beast name sadly receded into the shadows. Alas, bad habits die hard and ugliness is forever, and at long last, Black Beast deliver a full-length recording. Aptly titled Nocturnal Bloodlust, the now-trio’s debut album picks up exactly where they left off with the Bloodhammer split LP – as if an unlucky 13 years hadn’t passed – and then pumps the shocking waste full of narcotics and, yes, nocturnal bloodlust. Charging hard, giving no quarter, Black Beast whip forth an infinitely headbanging fury here, a resolutely asskicking Motorcharge that’s nevertheless not short on atmosphere. It’s purely and proudly all-caps BLACK METAL – after all, are they not monikered Black Beast? – and poignantly proves that, sometimes, the most singleminded focus yields the most gripping results. Indeed, Nocturnal Bloodlust possesses a grip of near-anthems (eight total, as well as a show-opening “Prelude” banger); by “near,” we make clear that the band do NOT write “hits” for “the fans” or crowd approval or other dumb bullshit. Rather, Black Beast offer unyielding obeisance to Satan, as all true black metal should, and declare as much on the album’s final two tracks, “Fist of the Devil” and “Symbol for My Devotion.” Through it all, the album exudes a raw-yet-robust production, thick and viscous but just as equally emitting space and shade, ably highlighting that this recording does, in fact, feature actual humans playing actual music – not cut ‘n’ paste computer crap, like so much nowadays “extreme metal.” Older, uglier, but just as hungry as the far-more-unforgiving days of the black metal underground from which they spawned, Black Beast have returned to claim their rightful dark throne with Nocturnal Bloodlust! Step fully forward to that throne exclusively HERE, courtesy of NoCleanSinging.com. The album-release gig shall take place at the SteelChaos festival November 8-9th in Helsinki, Finland. Also on the same release date shall Unholy Finnish Black Horror Union, the aforementioned split album with Bloodhammer, shall be reissued by Primitive Reaction on CD and, for the first time ever, vinyl LP and cassette tape formats. Cover and tracklisting for Nocturnal Bloodlust are as follows:

Tracklisting for Black Beast (Finland)’s Nocturnal Bloodlust 1. Prelude 2. Black Seremony 3. Riding on Wings of Death 4. Your Cold Grave 5. Words of Leviathan 6. Unholy One 7. Nocturnal Bloodlust 8. Fist of the Devil 9. Symbol for My Devotion

BLACK BEAST lineup 2019 Infernal Tormentor Necrocorpse von Demonblood – vocals Ruumisruhtinas – guitars & bass Lord Sipilä – drums

Today, reanimated Finnish black metal cult Black Beast premiere the new track “Nocturnal Bloodlust”. The track hails from the band’s LONG-awaited debut album, Nocturnal Bloodlust, set for international release on November 8th via Primitive Reaction Hear Black Beast‘s title track “Nocturnal Bloodlust” in its entirety exclusively HERE:

Formed in the dark days of 2002, Black Beast made their public debut in 2005 with a self-titled 7″ EP. Back then, the band’s native black metal underground was making an international name for itself, and has since established itself as one of black metal’s most immediately identifiable idioms, not to mention one of the most enduring. The Black Beast EP introduced the duo with violent, vulgar aplomb, slotting well alongside their erstwhile Finnish contemporaries and yet exhibiting a refreshingly Motorheaded aspect (or at least one Venomous). They quickly capitalized on that enviable momentum with an even stronger showing the next year on a split album with comrades Bloodhammer, which was the first release by a then-young Primitive Reaction. Then, nothing…the Black Beast name sadly receded into the shadows. Alas, bad habits die hard and ugliness is forever, and at long last, Black Beast deliver a full-length recording. Aptly titled Nocturnal Bloodlust, the now-trio’s debut album picks up exactly where they left off with the Bloodhammer split LP – as if an unlucky 13 years hadn’t passed – and then pumps the shocking waste full of narcotics and, yes, nocturnal bloodlust. Charging hard, giving no quarter, Black Beast whip forth an infinitely headbanging fury here, a resolutely asskicking Motorcharge that’s nevertheless not short on atmosphere. It’s purely and proudly all-caps BLACK METAL – after all, are they not monikered Black Beast? – and poignantly proves that, sometimes, the most singleminded focus yields the most gripping results. Indeed, Nocturnal Bloodlust possesses a grip of near-anthems (eight total, as well as a show-opening “Prelude” banger); by “near,” we make clear that the band do NOT write “hits” for “the fans” or crowd approval or other dumb bullshit. Rather, Black Beast offer unyielding obeisance to Satan, as all true black metal should, and declare as much on the album’s final two tracks, “Fist of the Devil” and “Symbol for My Devotion.” Through it all, the album exudes a raw-yet-robust production, thick and viscous but just as equally emitting space and shade, ably highlighting that this recording does, in fact, feature actual humans playing actual music – not cut ‘n’ paste computer crap, like so much nowadays “extreme metal.” Older, uglier, but just as hungry as the far-more-unforgiving days of the black metal underground from which they spawned, Black Beast have returned to claim their rightful dark throne with Nocturnal Bloodlust! Also step forward with the previous revealed “Your Cold Grave” HERE at Primitive Reaction‘s Bandcamp. The album-release gig shall take place at the SteelChaos festival November 8-9th in Helsinki, Finland. Also on the same release date shall Unholy Finnish Black Horror Union, the aforementioned split album with Bloodhammer, shall be reissued by Primitive Reaction on CD and, for the first time ever, vinyl LP and cassette tape formats. Cover and tracklisting for Nocturnal Bloodlust are as follows:

Tracklisting for Black Beast (Finland)’s Nocturnal Bloodlust 1. Prelude 2. Black Seremony 3. Riding on Wings of Death 4. Your Cold Grave 5. Words of Leviathan 6. Unholy One 7. Nocturnal Bloodlust 8. Fist of the Devil 9. Symbol for My Devotion

BLACK BEAST lineup 2019 Infernal Tormentor Necrocorpse von Demonblood – vocals Ruumisruhtinas – guitars & bass Lord Sipilä – drums