Bölzer – Lese Majesty
Band: Bölzer
Title: Lese Majesty
Label: Lightning & Sons
Release date: 29 November 2019
Country: Switzerland
Format reviewed: High-quality Digital Promo
BÖLZER [bœlˈtsr] ~ He who strikes like lightning – with sudden, decisive force or implications.
I got into BÖLZER when “Hero” was released in 2016. The album fell into my AOTY list under #16. “Archer” is still among the best underground songs over the recent years. The unique sound and playing of the Swiss duo is definitely a trademark, and BÖLZER cannot be mistaken – all that tremendous energy, waves of riffs, layers of melodies and the crushing bolzen-ing. These features can easily be spotted live, and the anger coming from the souls of KzR and HzR. Always with a head turned to the old German mythology and paganism, with tattooed ancient symbols and Thor hammers, BÖLZER delivers primeval force art, raw energy, and ritualistic impulses. It is cleansing in kind of way.
I was quite happy when I saw them live in 2018. Yes, I remember how the duo signed my vinyl, we took a pic. Despite the technical issues and the place, the live set was a complete journey, an experience of waves of multiple riffs and layers going through the body. And yes I remember how angry KzR left the stage.
That’s why I was impatient to get to the brand new EP “Lese Majesty” – band’s third EP in their discography since the first demo in 2012. “Lese Majesty” comes under duo’s brand new own-label “Lightning & Sons”, in exclusive alliance with AISA music. Since the very first chord of the opener “A Shepherd in Wolven Skin”, I can tell the remarkable BÖLZER signature is here. In addition, the sound is rawer and heavier than before. The drums of HzR sound heavier than hell too. And of course – KzR is angrier than ever with his vocals. What instantly makes an impression are all the changes in tempo, the riffs and all those chords played on the 10 string guitar. And careless whistling in the middle of the track! Otherwise – “harken the return of ancient rites/ a synergy of earth and mind ablaze…”. “Æstivation” is a 2-minutes ritualistic soundscape track with primeval angry speech. And we are back into Bölzer themselves with “Into the Temple of Spears”. Uncompromising, raw, blasting, hammering, with some great clean vocals in between the angry dark growls. This track is like a heavy unstoppable machine going down the road, crushing everything on its way – furious, powerful, devastating. The EP finishes with 12-minutes “Ave Fluvius! Danu Be Praised” – again furious, pounding track, but with nature of duality in the composition, playing and singing, alternating emotions, visions, and moods.
Usually, the EPs give a certain direction about bands’ state development in between the full-length albums and what can we expect further. “Lese Majesty” is from one side typical, unmistakable 29 minutes by BÖLZER, and from another side – rawer, angrier, heavier BÖLZER – uncompromising, going-forward-with-their-own-art BÖLZER. I must admit, the EP does not hit from the first listen. It needs time and some more spins – then you might be all blown away! 7/10 Count Vlad
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