Dark Funeral - A Beast To Praise (2026)

Unleashing all hell, today we have Sweden’s finest Black Metal outfit, Dark Funeral, delivering a swift and brutal 70-minute live release: “A Beast To Praise”. As one of the most punishing and yet refined BM outfits, the band’s live shows are full of sheer intensity and sometimes crafty pyro, creating a very dense and hellish atmosphere that is masterfully captured in the 13-tracks presented in this release.

Opening with the devastating “Unchain My Soul”, we can immediately hear how crisp and clean the live-recording sounds with Lord Ahriman and Chaq Mol’s guitars being as piercing as on a studio recording. The pummeling drumming of Janne Jaloma masterfully frames the band’s onslaughts as they level the audience with blistering pieces like “The Arrival Of Satan’s Empire”, “My Funeral”, “Leviathan”, and one of of personal favorites “We Are The Apocalypse".

Led by Heljarmadr crushing vocals and stage theatrics, “When I’m Gone” is one of the most crushing and engaging pieces in this release. Is not the speed or advert brutality, but rather the sinister atmosphere created by the perfect pacing and progression. All of the band’s hits are here, with “Vobiscum Satanas” being particularly savage, while “Nail Them To The Cross”, “Let the Devil In”, and “The Secrets of the Black Arts” having some truly intense and lively renditions.

For the uninitiated, Dark Funeral gives a killer live show and as they close with “Where Shadows Forever Reign”, they have managed to capture its vibe in this release pretty accurately. However, nothing replaces the real thing, so be on the lookout for when the band has live-onslaughts near you, particularly on their upcoming European tour with Behemoth and Dimmu Borgir. In the meantime, play this on very loud and be ready to feel the full force of Dark Funeral.

Rating: 95/100