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Sorry I just could wait to see the MR review for this one...
And at his hands he gazed, the creature summoned merely minutes ago. Of ancient and alien bones and flesh, their deeds would mark the name of the monster of Frankenstein. Great powers were given them, the force of destruction, as would it creep into the lives of the unexpecting. The creation of science would march from glory to glory, from death to life and in shadows deprived. The monster of Frankenstein realized true strength and dedication was at the swing of his fist, as he looked up in comfort of his being.
Yet sadly he comprehended that his appearance would make him unloved. All of his might was as heavy as the burden he alone could carry. He hung his head in dread as the thought of being created made him the loneliest of souls to walk this earth struck his ugly tear-wet face with a force no mortal could take. He knew he was to make an end to his life, or whatever the state he was in, eventually. And too he knew that he wouldn’t give up without a fight, not even a forlorn fight. With the strength of unknown ages he would stand up in desperation, longing for beauty and fed on misanthrope, and knowing it was lost already.
This is the latest Bekhira, L’Élu Du Mal. With the story of so many, yet the quality of few, Bekhira struck the world that is known as black metal with unsuspected force. How could we have known, the band has been silent for almost a decade. Undressing the metaphors, this album is one in the long line of raw and ugly black metal with powerful riffs carrying a tone of utter sadness at the same time. For some reason best executed by the French and the Germans, but in this case it’s not hard to recognize this as French material, due to its influences. The album could be mentioned in the row of the great French works of Vlad Tepes, Mütiilation, Eternal Majesty, Belenos and even Angmar and Mortifera, in terms of style, but when is looked at the quality of this album, it exceeds most of them.
After almost one minute and a half of semi-interesting raw hate, we get a literately non-stop chain of extremely well crafted riffs. As in all mentioned bands, the catch factor is set to extreme, and the production to subterranean levels. Every song is carefully built up around cool riffs, some quiet and cleaner parts resembling sheer beauty and sadness, and then more cool riffs, to cascade into even more cool riffs. As unoriginal the music is, as powerful and effective is its outcome. The riffs appearing throughout the album are usually riffs that appear once per album on the song unanimously agreed to be superior. This makes the album a very headbangable piece of art, and there are plenty of moment when you realize that the new riff makes you want to bang your head ever more so than the one of a few seconds ago, which already grabbed your full dedication. It seems like the nine year pause was spent in writing riff after riff, selecting only the very best, and carefully throwing them out over the nine songs the plate is rich. The songs are very similar in structure, but stand out because of the different riffs used. They are all highly memorable and creative and arranged in a multitude of climaxes, connected with typical black metal links and dynamic changes.
The drums are slightly lighter in production than on the 1996, but still the same blunt rhythms are present. Maybe some more thundering rhythm variations would have given the album an extra dimension, but they are not bad in this way. However primitive the skin-beating may be, it leaves room for the guitars to shine, and there are still some nice changes and variations present.
Our famous monster is well capable of (en)closing this review by serving a metaphor for the previously undescribed vocals. Although they are easily recognized as black metal vocals, they still provide in something less ordinary. They are almost as sick as on the 1996 demo, and again stand strongly with one foot in power, and with one foot in sadness. Agony roams inhuman screams in unity of emotions like the bastard child of Attila and Varg. This is the life of the monster of Frankenstein, and strong will it last until forgotten!
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