Kommando Baphomet - Under the Deathsign

KOMMANDO BAPHOMET - Under the Deathsign (GODZ OV WAR - CD 2020)

"Under the Deathsign" is a second album from Portuguese legion called Kommando Baphomet. I wasn't huge maniac of their debut CD "Blood Gospels of Satanic Inquisition" and after giving some spins to this new effort I have to say "Under the Deathsign" won’t change my mind drastically. This is almost weird, because mostly I am very keen for this sort of murky, insanely morbid and cavernous, bestial black / death metal. But there's always something about Kommando Baphomet that doesn't allow to me fully appreciate their music. 

I think that in case of "Under the Deathsign" one of the main problems is the production. Obviously, such style of extreme metal needs to have harsh, primitive sound, which would underline that chaotic and almost possessed feel of the music. It cannot ever be polished and weak. But with "Under the Deathsign" I feel like the sound simply lacks some power and more so, it all seems a bit muffled, like I was hearing a band playing, but in another room, through the wall. It just lacks that kick and loudness. I'm not sure why does it all so quiet, but the result is that often the music just fades in the noise and chaos. Most of the time these songs do not have effect on me, at all. It's almost a shame, as "Under the Deathsign" doesn't lack much to have a better impact. I can hear that there are some cool riffs and ideas, for instance in "Deathsign of the Kommando Baphomet". It's just not enough for me. 

Taking all aspects together, "Under the Deathsign" is not a bad album, it surely is better than debut and it's a solid slab of bestiality. I am sure I will be back to it at some point, maybe with time my opinion will change... for now I am not fully convinced. It should speak to maniacs of Archgoat, Teitanblood, Tetragrammacide and such wonderfully melodic pop bands. 

Verdict: 66/100