Midnight - Rebirth by Blasphemy (2020)

Unleashing one of the most furious and yet catchy releases of 2020, today we have one-man battalion Midnight with “Rebirth by Blasphemy”. With over 16 years of existence, this release is surprisingly the fourth full-length record after a large series of EPs, splits and demos. Thanks to its completely intense live shows and the superb catchiness of their music, Athenar has managed to get signed to Metal Blade Records and now can conquer bigger stages with his intoxicating music.

Opening with the blistering “Fucking Speed and Darkness”, you get that Speed Metal vibe crossed over with Punkish elements and a hearty dose of Black Metal. This is indeed the band’s signature sound and it is perfectly paired with a completely bonkers attitude of chaos and not giving many fucks. This is clearly materialized on pummeling tracks like “Escape by Blasphemy”, “Devil’s Excrement” and the retro-sounding “Rising Scum”.

Our favorite track is the twangy “Warning from the Reaper”, a song that has a very unique Southern vibe mixed in with devilish screams and ravaging drum patterns. Athenar excels at creating short but the the point tracks that always have a certain depraved feeling to them, as “Cursed Possessions” a testament to. Reminding us of a mixture of Chrome Division and Napalm Death, “Raw Attack” is one of those tracks that you can’t stop listening to on repeat.

Closing with the hard rocking “The Sounds of Hell” and the pummeling riffs of “You Can Drag Me Through Fire”, we are left exhausted at the sheer amount of super riffs and guitar leads that Midnight spews along their destructive path. Not for the weak of mind, this release goes by the listener at 1000 miles per hour and before you know it it is already playing again at full volume. If you want an intense blasphemous ride that will leave you wondering what the hell just happened, be sure to check out “Rebirth by Blasphemy”.

Label: Metal Blade Records

Release: January 24th, 2020

Genre: Black/Speed Metal / Black’n’Roll

Country: USA