I think it would be fair to say that "Battle Furies" is saved by the vocals. If Mr. Fogarty had used typical black metal rasps, as I believe he does on the follow up to this, I fear this album would have been too much pomp and not enough metal to enjoy. BUT, because of the vocals (which are a near copy of Varathron), I ended up getting into the album a little, and discovering some of the decent melodies within.

It doesn't quite find itself anywhere close to the levels reached by the likes of Bal-Sagoth, but this is without a doubt a heavy on the keyboards, heavy on the atmosphere black metal recordings. Fogarty is a talented musician at the same time - he comes up with some really catchy guitar and keyboard bits here and there. "Battle Furies" isn't an album with any emphasis on dry hatred though - and because of that, it works as a very atmospheric 'light' metal record.

And of course, any band that devotes an album to the bitter dislike of the church deserves my thumbs up. "I hope that the desired messages underlying this album are understood by all who have listened to the music and read the lyrics, may the church of hypocrisy burn to the ground with all remnants destroyed" - well said Mr. Fogarty.

© 2000 brand