Band:	Havohej
Album:	Dethrone The Son Of God
Style:	Black metal
Release date:	May 1993
A review by:	X-Ray Rod

01. Spilling Holy Blood
02. Final Hour Of Christ
03. Weeping In Heaven
04. I Arose (Part 1)
05. I Arose (Part 2)
06. Heavenly Father
07. Once Removed Savior
08. Raping Of Angels (Part 1)
09. Raping Of Angels (Part 2)
10. The King Of The Jews
11. Behold The Prince Of Peace
12. Holy Blood Holy Grail
13. Fucking Of Sacred Assholes
14. Nazarene Decomposing
15. Dethrone The Son Of God

Blasphemous music is an intriguing artform. It challenges the traditional philosophies provided by organized religions. It embraces individualism and man's control over his own destiny. It provides a counterview to the status quo. But look at that awful artwork. Look at those song titles. Do you think this is that type of blasphemy? Yeah, I thought so.

This is not an exercise in subtlety. Havohej is Jehovah backwards, and I think I could end the review right here, and you’d still be able to figure out what this musical journey entails. But there is more hidden under the surface of this odd-looking piece of putrid, dark art. Havohej arose from the ashes of (at the time disbanded) Profanatica, which is one of the earliest US black metal bands alongside VON. You can go further back: Profanatica consists of three out of Incantation’s four founding members who left the band because they wanted to play black metal, thus leaving John McEntee alone with Incantation. To make matters more convoluted: Profanatica disbanded in 1992 and reformed a decade later, so Havohej ended up releasing Dethrone The Son Of God 14 years before Profanatica’s first full length.

May 1993. At the hotbed of the second wave of black metal. Darkthrone had just confirmed their switch to black metal with Under The Funeral Moon. Varg and Euronymous were probably still buddies at the time this album came out. Satyricon, Emperor and Beherit had not released their first full lengths yet. Beherit's debut is actually a good point of comparison, as both Beherit and Havohej/Profanatica are outsiders. They sought blasphemous illumination through very raw rituals, and as a result tend to be a love/hate affair for many due to their primitive nature. There is a form of otherworldly brutality present which is so violent, so primal, that it remains deliciously shocking to this very day.

While I may be talking about Havohej as a band, it is solely Paul Ledney’s project. Just like with Profanatica, there is an extreme obligation to focus on the most blasphemous themes possible in the most tasteless way possible. This is reflected both in words and in sound. Paul Ledney’s main instrument is the drumkit and even though he left Incantation because it didn’t satisfy his black metal needs, there is a lot of excellent death metal drumming on this album. It is tight and precise and in between the blast beat inferno there are intricate fillers and tempo changes sparkled throughout the album. It is the lightning rod for the riffs that comfortably go from light speed dissonance to doomy passages. Dethrone The Son Of God has a very clear production for its time, which makes the riffs all the more punishing and more akin to death metal albums. It is surprising how professional the album sounds while still remaining brutal and evil. The first five songs are actually early Profanatica material that has been re-recorded. But due to the vast difference in production value, they end up sounding completely different. Paul’s voice is raspy and venomous but also very audible, which makes the over-the-top lyrics stand out. Sure, they might be overly Satanic and obscene to the point of being absurd (“I vomit on God’s child!!!”), but remember that the more popular second-wave bands weren't characterized by this trait, making Havohej’s debut one of the most vile and depraved releases from this period.

While it may look at first glance that this is just brainless puking at the cross (and for the most part it is), there is a savagery that is so well put together here. Havohej relishes in blasphemy and filth in a very charismatic way. With barely 28 minutes, the album cums (haha) and goes with no filler. So if you have half an hour to spare on this holy week. Go ahead and sodomize the holy asshole, aaaarghhh!!!

“Fuck the church
Fuck Christ
Fuck the Virgin
Fuck the gods of Heaven
FUCK THE NAME OF JEEEEESUUUUUUUUSSSS!!!"