Review — WATAIN — “Die In Fire — Live In Hell”
RATE : 10/10
Nuclear Blast Records
Release Date: November 3rd, 2023
*Vinyl / CD / Digital*
Tracklist:
1. Ecstasies in Night Infinite
2. Black Salvation
3. The Howling
4. Black Flames March
5. Reaping Death
6. Devil’s Blood
7. Serimosa
8. Not Sun nor Man nor God
9. Before the Cataclysm
10. The Return of Darkness and Evil (Bathory Cover)
11. Nuclear Alchemy
12. Malfeitor
25 years ago, these Swedish legends emerged in the city of Uppsala, forged by fire and blood, with the firm conviction of create -and destroy- any usual way to conceive life and music.
At 2023, Watain, celebrating these 25 years will release their sixth live album -officially the third one-, “Die In Fire — Live In Hell”, recorded at Stockholm, Sweden in October 7th, 2022.
This live album was mastered at the well-known Necromorbus Studio by the unholy hands of Tore Stjerna, who has mastered almost each Watain release since 1999.
The followers of these Bathory worshippers could relate “Opus Diabioli” (2012) as the first live approaching to the ritualistic and chaotic atmosphere that they always create, and with which they have gained true followers and bitter enemies.
“Opus Diaboli” is a good live album, not a great, the sound is not the best, and sometimes it seems a little bit flat, but, everything turns to magic due to the interludes and the ritualistic environment that the band create.
However, with “Die In Fire — Live In Hell”, the sound quality is superb, far beyond any live album of the band, but, without sounding overproduced or with so many post-production touches in the recording itself.
“Ecstasies in Night Infinite” starts the flame, as opening track, which is obvious due to the fact that this track belongs to Watain’s last studio album “The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain” (2022). The track for those newbies, does not portray the hell on earth that is approaching.
And old track glances within the shadows, an ancient poetry for the wicked, “Black Salvation” from the mighty opus “Casus Luciferi” (2003), a track that doesn’t need any introduction, a classic but still full of evil and fierce.
“The Howling”, another track from the aforementioned more recent studio album emerged as the most ferocious wolf among the forest. This was the first single back in 2022, and the voracity is visible. The wolf is haunting.
From 2013, and from the jaws of “The Wild Hunt”, the “Black Flames March”, and do they march, with that deep and hypnotic riff and those blast beats that could make the whole earth tremble.
One of my favorite songs, a song that make your blood boil and your head bang as the chorus rises up “Higher! Higher! Come all ye sons of fire…”, yes, you know, you feel it, “Reaping (fucking) Death”.
We are reaching the middle of this live opus, when the sixth track, the “Devil’s Blood” appears, also a masterpiece from “Casus Luciferi”, a track that back in those days seems to be a pure hymn to chaos and that nowadays it remains the same.
From the last studio album, “Serimosa” arises within the darkness and between the flames, a low-mid term track, that slows down the ferocity, just in time for an interlude.
“Not Sun nor Man nor God” turns the pulse a little bit down, not properly a low in the mood, just the calm before the storm, just the proper and exact cadence to the eminent darkness approaching.
After the previous instrumental hell, the smoke starts to ascend over the candles and behind the flames and “Before the Cataclysm”. A fine piece of art, conceived in the inner putrid traces of blood.
As one band from Sweden said when I interviewed them, “Any band from Sweden that says they weren’t influenced by Bathory is lying”. And Watain is well-know for their fervor and passion towards Bathory and Quorthon himself. One of the most vivid statements is the live-tribute album “Tonight We Raise Our Cups And Toast In Angels Blood: A Tribute To Bathory” (2015). I am sure that when “The Return of Darkness and Evil” illuminated that night, the Bathory tattoo of each Watain member, shine as the most pure blood below the moon within the flames.
“Nuclear Alchemy” explodes in the deepest shadows of the underworld, with those riffs and the solo in the middle, the fire, the blood has been set for the last song of that evening.
The last hymn of that night, from “Lawless Darkness” (2010), “Malfeitor”, the traitor, the offender, the one who rape the law. A superb choice to close this ritual, and for sure the audience was melted in pure a total ecstasy.
The album ends with the instrumental track that Watain uses in each show, and if you have attended to one of their shows, you know which track I am talking about, the ritual has finished.
This live album is a pure raw and dissonant chaos to the listener, a must for any Watain fan, the sound quality is far beyond any other Watain’s live album. As a follower of the band, yes I do missed some fundamental tracks in this ritual as, “Stellarvore”, “Legions of the Black Light”, or “Storm of the Antichrist” from the “Sworn to the Dark” (2007) album.
Also, it was curious to notice that no song of “Rabid Death’s Curse” (2000) was included in the repertoire. I know, it is hard to satisfy the wishes of each fan, but considering that this live album was intended to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the band, I think they shall include a couple of tracks of each opus.
A must have in your collection, The Black Shrine has already pre-ordered a copy, so go and buy it!
And as Erik said… “Hail Satan!”.
Thanks to Nuclear Blast Records for providing me in advance the digital promo for my pleasure and joy, and of course to be able to share it with you, the followers of The Black Shrine.
NsK
Pre-order: https://watain.bfan.link/die-in-fire-live-in-hell.ema
Photos by Allan Larsen.
