Bolt Thrower - The IVth Crusade (Earache)

I'm not an expert or even a die hard fan of death metal, but I know what I like. And, as it happens, I like Bolt Thrower. I've been a HUUUUGE fan of theirs since the release of their eponymous In Battle There Is No Law. Although I respect all of their discs for what they are, which are brutal and grinding to the last, my unrequited love is reserved for The IVth Crusade. From the grim title track, to the apocalyptic and prophetic doomspeak of As the World Burns, this disc proves to be an enjoyable listen throughout. Masterfully produced by Colin Richardson (Napalm Death) , this opus is conclusive of the fact that Earache Records were the kings of the extreme for that era (see Godflesh and Carcass if you have any doubt). In 1996, death metal was little more than an unintelligible, blood and guts enterprise. Bolt Thrower write almost exclusively about war, not that war isn't bloody. The stunning cover and inner sleeve artwork is non-pretentious, and the lyrical content has no gory rantings, at least not in the conventional sense, but they WILL rape your eardrums and leave you bleeding from the asshole. That is the only horror show imagery I'll allow. So there you are. Short, sweet, and to the goddamned point. Get this album or forever wallow in the junior high school mentality of Cannibal Corpse and Deicide.



- C. Kolakowski