ALBUM REVIEW: Moorfall – Molesting The Priest

Here I review the debut album of Chilean Blackened Death Metallers MOORFALL. Out today via Profaner Records. Time for some utterly raw and unholy Black Metal from the belly of the underground.

1. Molesting The Priest comes in with snapping punky drum hits that certainly bring the album in with attitude, this leads into raw and savage vocals and ripping guitar riffs that truly surge out an underground energy of barbarity and unholy worship. The lo-fi swing of the track is gruesomely aggressive with a thin sound that pierces through with its primal grooves. There is some nice upbeat instrumental work that is lively and energetic, very characteristically South American. Shredding guitars give further life to the torturously heavy piece nicely. This was a pretty damn cool opening track. Great work.
2. Chariots Of Doom enters with soaring guitar leads, barrages of rhythm and an onslaught of drums met by tortured and hellish vocals that drives out more thrashing, maniacal Black Metal hellfire. Delightfully demonic and certainly uncomfortably raw, this track slashes away at you with the ferocity of something otherworldly. The melodic lead guitar work once again gives a nice contrast to the raw battery. Surprisingly catchy too with its morbid attitude punching your teeth in throughout. Pummelling and macabre, excellent work.
3. Prometheus’ Torment draws in with eerie and soulful guitar melodics, harmonised beautifully and giving a truly unexpected tranquility to the album. Powerfully yelled vocals soon drive the piece into a demonic chant that is hypnotically gorgeous and accompanied by more excellent fretwork. There is a real 80s vibe to this track that is anthemic and fun, while sinister when it belts out more fierce savagery. A truly epic slab of glorious and mournfully sombre music with plenty of bite still remaining. Magnificent.
4. Ave Master Lucifer (Besatt Cover) blasts into chainsaw guitar riffing, insanely fast drum attacks and medieval synths for the vocalist to cascade with a shroud of spewed hellish screams. This cover is immediately a fierce and unholy choice that the band do a brilliant job of putting their own sound into and driving out something that still has a unique originality and renewed aggression while doing proud the anthemic Besatt track. Gorgeously punky bass lines give a liveliness among the otherwise unrelentingly beautiful assaults. Wonderful.
5. The Forgotten Dungeons Of Time rips in with melancholic guitar riffs that have a Satanic Warmaster vibe right away, churning a more introspective darkness into the mix, showing great diversity after the speedy onslaught we have had ’til now. Atmospheric synths give the dungeon-dwelling vibes a furthered ambience while keeping simple, something the band do not overuse either. This track is absolutely stunning with such atmosphere and an unmistakably old school feel with exciting builds and some peaceful clean work before blasting us with grooves once more. Brilliant.
6. Unholy Chants Of War falls into place with barbaric drum beating, savagely grisly riffing and throat-burning shrieks, built to a melodic and atmospheric cascade of totally fierce 90s Black Metal delights. The unrelenting approach does not seem like the albums finale but more like the band want to perform one final ritualistic assault on the listener, complete with blistering guitar solos and a catchy chugging groove that remains consistent between the piercing lead flourishes. A killer closing track, marvellous.

Raw, unrelenting and beautiful. This is a true gem of the Chilean underground that I feel to many people are going to miss. It is naturally unpolished and imperfect with a lo-fi production and savagely primitive songwriting style but damn is it decimating and well-varied which was unexpected. An excellent debut and a must listen for fans of raw Black Metal torn from the dungeons and brought to life with maniacal musicianship. -7/10