Satan's Host-CELEBRATION: For The Love Of Satan - 25th anniversary album

Moribund
2011


If you can overlook the goofiness of new tune "For the Love of Satan" (the music itself shreds it's just that the obvious Venom lyric worship is utter cheese guys) then this new collection of re-recorded classics is pretty sweet. Taking cuts from the vast catalog of power metal/black metal band Satan's Host and reworking them around Harry Conklin's "signature soaring/haunting style" is a good move. Material that original appeared on "Metal from Hell" (including "Hell Fire" and "Metal From Hell") and giving them the modern touch makes this collection a must have. It breathes new life into these songs. In fact, despite the recent move towards black metal a lot of this material sounds like killer power metal/thrash. "Midnight Wind" (from the bootlegged album of the same name since it was officially never released) is also cheesy in a Merciful Fate/Venom kind of way but man if it isn't some of the best classical power metal around. Listening to these re-worked versions makes me wonder why these albums have yet to be issued on CD? Hopefully something is in the works as these albums show the majestic side of Satan's Host even in their humble beginning. "Cauldron of the Ancients" is a cut from 1999's EP,"In Articulo Mortis" and showcases Harry's vocal range. The self-released album "Archidoxes Of Evil" gave us "Nightside of Eden" and Harry and company work their magic on it. Epic power metal is the name of the game and the band plays it better than most. Working their way to 2004's "Burning The Born Again (A New Philosophy)" gives us "Ecliptic Equinox" and at this point it is obvious that Harry is making his case that he never plans to lose his edge and like a fine wine he just gets better with age. "Satanic Grimoire: A Greater Black Magick" gets represented here with "Satanic Grimoire" and "Great American Scapegoat 666" brings back haunting memories thanks to the track "Cursing, "Vampyric Evil-Eye". Our eerie peek into the past of Satan's Host is finished with "Dark Priest (Lord Ahriman)" from 2009's "Power ~ Purity ~ Perfection: 999". Really there is not a bad track to be found on this collection of re-worked classics. Usually albums like this leave me longing for the originals more than anything. In this case Satan's Host has made an album that celebrates these older classics with a modern touch while still giving us something interesting to latch onto. "CELEBRATION: For The Love Of Satan - 25th anniversary album" wraps up with the other new tune, "Convictions". A superb metal tune to end a well-crafted heavy metal platter. As a follow-up to 2011's "By The Hands Of The Devil" this makes perfect sense. Especially with it being the 25th anniversary of their legendary "Metal From Hell" debut. My only request now is a deluxe edition of "Metal From Hell". That would truly bring everything full-circle for Satan's Host.