Blaze of Perdition – Upharsin Review

“Upharsin” is part of an Aramaic phrase seen in the Hebrew Bible, in which the words “mene, mene, tekel, upharsin” appear mysteriously upon the wall of the palace of King Belshazzar, which are interpreted by the prophet Daniel as foretelling the fall of Babylon and its dispersion to the Persians and the Medes. The rich religious undertone pervades the Polish Blaze of Perdition, not as a point of blasphemy but of portent. Catholicism is a specter that haunts Poland, one whose national identity has historically been intertwined with religion – and the inevitable trail of pain wrought from the iron fist in the shadow of the cross. A consistently vicious output of black metal often sees this as a backdrop, as acts like Blaze of Perdition, Batushka, and of course, Behemoth have all cried mightily against the heavens, acknowledging the burning shrine from the pews.

Contrary to the gaudy goth-rock influences of 2020 predecessor The Harrowing of Hearts, Blaze of Perdition opts to embrace the blackened fury once more in a density and viciousness that portrays the divisions of humanity, abetted by religion, and man’s affinity for violence. Upharsin is dispersion to the Persians and Medes, a singular division whose existential despair is only outmatched by its intensity. While certainly avoiding the tempo-dismissing blastbeat-loving style of Dark Funeral, its simmering and slow-building midtempo attack feels just as devastating, movements steeped in melancholy and melody. Balance defines every movement, as anger and lamentation collide with seamless fluidity – the result is a pure return to form, a dangerous and untainted foray that dwells in misery.

Blaze of Perdition’s greatest asset is to present its anti-religious themes as not the devil-worshiping and novelty-driven attack of its blackened kin, but with an existential weight. The lyrics, entirely in their native Polish, present alienation of God, a divinity given life through cold and suffering,¹ and the self-flagellation that the aloof father requires. This theme is animated by their distinctly Polish black metal attack, thick and ferocious while maintaining the trademark second-wave frigidity, with vocals commanding the attack with sermonic charisma. Guitars spread a tapestry of blasphemous intensity, morphing seamlessly into passages of wrenching melody, while drums burst with climactic and sporadic blastbeats and intense ritualistic buildups. Blaze of Perdition injects liturgical weight into their sound, making their ebb and flow feel more like a crisis of faith rather than a burning church.

The natural progressions of the sound make Upharsin feel like a tapestry of color, rich and vibrant with each passage, but the passages of subtle melodic undercurrents and memorable brutality add to Blaze of Perdition’s story as it plays out across the threads. The melodies of “Niezmywalne” and “W kwiecie rozlamu” inject passages of sustained and intertwined guitar work, alongside their heart-pounding elements, while the former deals in depressive wails and adrenaline-pumping barks. Meanwhile, the chants of “Przez rany” and “Architekt” inject a necessary pummeling that stand in neat contrast to the more placid moments. While these standout moments are notable, Blaze of Perdition’s songwriting ensures a tangible consistency across the forty-one-minute runtime. What makes Upharsin a notable progression from its immovable catalog is its weariness: while previous blasphemy emerged from violence, tracks contained herein explode from a weathered and wounded spirit.

The only obvious detractor of Upharsin occurs in closer “Mlot, miecz i bat,” in which a rip-roaring guitar solo cuts through the carefully calculated melancholy with novel recklessness, which only barely leaves a bitter taste to an otherwise stellar album. Blaze of Perdition rights the ship after the experimental and divisive The Harrowing of Hearts with a sound that returns it to the trademark viciousness while maintaining subtlety and melancholy through each movement. While blasphemy and defiance dominate the blackened arts and Upharsin’s tapestry reflects this tradition, Blaze of Perdition’s story plays out as distinctly wounded, as if the novelty has worn off to reveal the beating heart beneath – one that tried to believe and fell to ashes.

Rating: 4.0/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Metal Blade Records
Websites: blazeofperdition.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/blazeofperdition
Releases Worldwide: April 19th, 2024