I last sang the praises of Mystic Circle in 2023 for the brutal beating that is Erzdämon, and they’ve been covered previously by our own El Jefe for Mystic Circle back in 2022.

Hexenbrand 1486 sees the band once again flexing their Symphonic Black Metal muscles. This is album eleven for these unholy Germans, and this is really feeling like it could be my favorite release.

From the opening track “Luciferian” with its old school horror samples that give way to this slick Black Metal beat, and then tearing into some savage, blistering blast beats. It’s the perfect way to kick off this barbaric album. It’s followed hot on the Devil’s heels by “The Scarlet Queen of Harlots” and this is the point where they go down a Cradle of Filth-ish rabbit hole, courtesy of guest vocalists Sarah Jezebel Deva (ex-Cradle of Filth, The Kovenant) and Karo Hafke (Umbra Et Imago, Giants Causeway).

But it’s not all Cradle of Filth all the time, as “Boogeyman” comes ripping in with striding blasts right into some insane time changes that keep things interesting throughout this raging track. “In The Sign Of The Goat” is more of a mid-paced Black Metal monster with some captivating female vocals in the chorus that sort of reminds me of Lord Belial and their Enter the Moonlight Gate album. The keyboards battle with the guitars for dominance, and it’s just fucking awesome. There is blasting, but it’s sparse on this song.

“Ghost Of Whitechapel” gets your head moving right from the get-go. It’s one of those haunting tracks that make Symphonic Black Metal such a great sub-genre. I will admit right here and now that Hexenbrand 1486 already has a spot on my end-of-the-year list (they just don’t know it yet).

“Institoris (Heinrich Kramer)” is the creeping mid-album point for 1:23 seconds and then “The Bible of Witch Chase” takes off on demons wings and those gorgeous female vocals are all over it, adding some emotion to counter Beelzebub’s harsh, yet incredibly understandable rasp, his bile filled delivery leads the way through Hexenbrand 1486 alongside his longtime friend and bandmate, A. Blackwar.

“Blutschande Unzucht Sodomie” is my favorite track simply for what they do mid-track, and that is about a minute and a half of creepy as fuck Electronica before shredding with flurries of blast beats. Hexenbrand 1486 also contains the band’s 100^th song, “Dance On The Wings Of Black Magic,” a song where Lord Belial meets Cradle of Filth in a bar and a brutal slap fight breaks out. It’s incredibly brutal with some Death Metal growls thrown in for impact. “Zeugnis Der Verachtung (Outro)” closes things up with a black bow, and then the album starts over and grabs you by the throat again.

Hexenbrand 1486 is a symphonic Black Metal fan’s wet dream, and if you love the bands I’ve already mentioned, then you should automatically know that you need this album in your life.

[Visit the band's website]

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