Bütcher - On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing - review
Bütcher - On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing - review
Tracklist
01. A Divine Wind02. Speed Metal Samurai
03. Blessed By The Blade
04. Koraktor's Iron Rule
05. Keep The Steele (Flamin' Hot)
06. A Sacrifice To Satan's Spawn
07. A Gypsy's Tale (Of Sex And Seance)
08. An Ending In Fyre
A review by
AndyMetalFreak November 14, 2024
Bütcher are a Belgian blackened heavy/speed band formed by vocalist R Hellshrieker back in 2002. The band went on a brief hiatus following several demos from 2007-2014, only to return again with a fresh line-up intact, who would then unleash their full-length, furious, blackened speed debut Bestial Fükkin' Warmachine in 2017. 666 Goats Carry My Chariot then followed in 2020, a sophomore that carried on the legacy of the debut, and, you could say, even lived up to its high standards. The band now return 4 years later, still steered at the helm by R Hellshrieker and with KK Ripper on guitar. However, further changes have been made to the line-up, with KV Bonecrusher picking up guitar after handing over bass duties to new bassist AK Nosferatöron, and new drummer R Voidsmasher also on board. With this team assembled, the band unleash their 3rd full-length offering On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing.
On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing doesn't hold back on traditions, blending classic thrash, speed, and NWOBHM, with original foundations of black metal, but the band not only continues this legacy but incorporates new features, creating a concept with a unique story written by R Hellshrieker. "A Divine Wind" is a unique, short intro that kicks things off with a striking drum solo, before some traditional heavy riffs and wailing solos swing into action. This swiftly merges into the aptly titled "Speed Metal Samurai", a classic, no-nonsense, catchy, energetic, blackened, speedy song containing all the ingredients you'd come to expect, from aggressive semi-harsh shrieks, ferociously melodic thrash riffs, and classic rapid solos, all driven by a rampaging groovy rhythm section. This song is a traditional, energetic, and enjoyable headbanger. Think of the ferocity and groove of Slayer's Show No Mercy, with the attitude and old-school energy of Motörhead, then throw in spikes of blackened fury, and this sums up the approach for most of what's to come.
At the early stages, On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing is not the most original stylistic approach. Many other bands have succeeded in this exact method, most notably Hellripper and Bewitcher, but it's definitely effective in getting your adrenaline pumped and blood rushing for some real headbanging action. For some metalheads, this style has been done way too often before, and may be on the verge, if not become tedious already. For many others, though, the groovy savagery is simply too infectious to ignore. I mean, find me riffs catchier than the one's performed on "Koraktor's Iron Rule" and "A Sacrifice To Satan's Spawn" from 2024.
The last 3 tracks are where things start to get interesting. "A Sacrifice To Satan's Spawn" takes on a much darker side, featuring haunting, demonic narrations and a tinge of eeriness from organs. Yet it's still exceedingly catchy, with traditional heavy melodic riffs that are right up there with Running Wild and early Iron Maiden in terms of memorability. "A Gypsy's Tale (Of Sex and Seance)" is even more bizarre, though: the introduction of the sitar is a particular weird touch, adding a hint of Middle-Eastern spiritual psychedelia. But the other striking feature is the gnarly OSDM gutturals and buzz-saw guitar sound. This is, in essence, a combination of classic thrash and death, and its unpredictable and baffling songwriting is certainly a step away from their comfort zone. Closing the album at just under 10 minutes, "An Ending In Fyre" is equally diverse. The song remains fast-paced, energetic, and catchy through to the end, highlighted by highly melodic, intertwining guitars, but haunting synth sections are introduced to create more dynamics to the atmosphere, as well as a more varied range in vocal style.
Mayhemic, Bewitcher, and Wraith have all contributed greatly towards the blackened categories of traditional heavy, speed, and thrash in 2024, presenting offerings of such fine quality, but none have quite matched the uniqueness of Bütcher's On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing. I'd go as far as saying this is the band's mightiest effort to date and could well signal an opportunity for which Bütcher can stand out from the rest of the scene.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 7 |
Written on 14.11.2024 by
Written on 14.11.2024 by
An honest review that you don't necessarily have to agree with.
Rating:
8.0
8.0
Comments
Comments:
6
Visited by
93 users
 Posts: 7944 |
Posts: 7944
I've had a way of contemplating Butcher to an extreme jackassery band, but your score locked me here. Good review, Andy. Putting on my wishlist.
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| Posts: 6688 |
Posts: 6688 Written by Cynic Metalhead on 14.11.2024 at 15:22 This album might not be to everyone's taste but I've really taken a fancy to it, and I'd put it down as my favorite of theirs up to now.
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 Posts: 610 |
Posts: 610
Great band nice review
---- Invisible To telescopic eye, Infinity. The star that would not die. Slayer vs. Slayer: 1,000 MPH or Death
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Posts: 1831  |
Posts: 1831
I think my only complaint about this album is that it doesn't have a song as epic as 666 Goats Carry My Chariot, although "A Gypsy's Tale" comes very close.
---- Need a break from headbanging? Restore your street cred by visiting my hip-hop list! Tha Swagnum Opus: A Selection Of Hip-Hop For The Curious Metalhead
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Posts: 642  |
Posts: 642
I love this band, and this album is as good as 666 Goats, WAY too much fun Count me in as one of those "the groovy savagery is simply too infectious to ignore" type people
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Posts: 1068  |
Posts: 1068
This sounds like one of those albums where they've thrown everything at it. Some of it sticks, but some of it doesn't for me. I prefer the focused approach of 666 Goats, which is still one of my favourite albums of the past few years. This album just doesn't have nearly as many good songs, so I haven't been tempted to keep returning to it.
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