HARDWARES

Quasi-symphonic black metal that falls squarely between Dimmu Borgir’s most aggressive passages and Dark Funeral, Sweden’s Blackwinds record slick, sometimes epic material that is the kind of stuff commercial fans will embrace shortly after making the transition out of Dimmu worship and into slightly harsher territory. Not really original nor vital in any capacity, Flesh Inferno is nonetheless well put together to the point of meticulousness, and the high-speed title track as well as the fun (!) ‘Conceptualizing The Devil’ are worth investigating if you’re into this scene. Non sequitur: the rad promo shot found on the last page of the booklet makes these guys seem way more kult than they are, but there’s no denying that photographic excellence has been achieved.