In the Kaballah, Gevurah is one of the ten attributes of the Sephirot that symbolizes the self-manifestation of God. It has numerous representations of strength, power, and judgment. It removes anything superfluous and eradicates evil. Gevurah also invokes wrath. The fiery shadow of Gevurah, with its enormous, blackened heads, burns anything and everything should it become unwieldy or unrestrained. It is a fitting namesake for the Canadian duo that comprises the deeply enigmatic force of Gevurah, who described their debut album, Hallelujah!, as "…a seven-step spiritual journey of alchemical transformation, through the death and rebirth of the Self as a pure entity of praise, a vessel for the powers beyond. It is an exhalation of worship, a humbling vow of unwavering devotion to the Lord of Unbound Light.” It is, at its core, magnificently depraved and maleficent.
Gevurah is coming off of two demos and a wildly riveting EP entitled Necheshirion. Members, X.T., and A.L. have built up quite the head of steam going into Hallelujah!. This full-length debut was certainly one of the most anticipated albums coming into 2016, especially once it was learned the band was signing with Profound Lore Records to release it (one of a small handful of labels who have never released a bad album). It does not disappoint. Hallelujah! is a dark, brimming evil. It is comprised of seven epic compositions of grandiose Black Metal that rage and roar of the transcendence of Satan. From its booklet depicting valleys of fire and serpentine imagery (not to mention the striking artwork from Denis Forkas Kostromitin) to its haunting lyrics of infant sacrifice and recurrent slayings of Christ, this album burns with rampant hellfire.
What will ultimately separate Hallelujah! from other albums that tackle the ideology of Satanism is how intellectually and poetically X.T. and A.L. approach the subject matter. The tandem captures a horrifying aura and paints a canvas in blood and decay as humanity's sins pave the way to their physical and spiritual possession. "The Fire Dwelling Within" starts Gevurah's transformative journey. A near-ten minute eruption of praise and physical offering to Satan. X.T. roars out at one instance, "Grand corruptor / Prince of utmost Darkness /Your hands are limitless! / Dwell deep into the heart of Man / and defile his soul with the very fruit of his labor". This poetic rapture comprises the biggest sticking point of Hallelujah!.
Gevurah's musicianship on their debut album is also top-notch as well. The album's middle section includes the instrumental "Lifting the Veils of Da'at" and the dazzling "Temple Without Form" which showcase a knack for crafting unique song structures that prohibit creativity from becoming quiescent. Ripping blast beats and arpeggio hit with a reverberating aggression throughout the entirety of this Black Metal demon. However, it is in Hallelujah!'s longest and final two tracks, "Dies Irae – Lacrimosa" and "הַלְּלוּיָהּ" (Hebrew for "Hallelujah") that its greatest and perhaps most formidable moments occur. It is within these final two songs that the album arrives at a sonic and spiritual pinnacle. The former track, a play on the Roman Catholic "Day of Wrath and Requiem", is the best Black Metal song these ears have heard this year.
Hallelujah! is a marvelous debut from a band that is appearing to emerge from the depths of metal's underground and vault into the dark sky of stars that exists above us, mere mortals. For those who chose to answer it, their demos and EPs were a wake-up call to what Gevurah was capable of. X.T. and A.L. have delivered a sensational and riveting full-length album that wonderfully builds off of their earlier releases. It's an intelligent, terrifying evil they crafted from the entrancing instrumentation to the wicked and fiery imagery, and it was an absolute delight to be possessed by it.
Score: 9/10
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