EP Review: Blood Command – Return Of The Arsonist

From the sweeping and lush synth intro to opening track Don’t Strike A Match, Use The Lighter, you could be forgiven for assuming that what is about to follow will be some sub-Nightwish Scandi-pomp that evokes the ghosts of pale children and spectral owls swooping through a haunted Norwegian forest. And you would be wrong to, because what happens is that this intro morphs into a towering and thunderous slice of solid gold, ass-kicking rawk. Embedded into this thunder is the banshee scream of Blood Command‘s vocalist Karina Ljone and boy can she belt it out.

Norway’s Blood Command have been described by Rock Sounds as ‘one of the world’s best kept secrets’ and on the evidence of this EP, that’s not a particularly bold claim. Return Of The Arsonist is by turns brutally pummelling metal and tuneful rock music, superlatively executed, effortlessly melodic and timeless in a way that futureproofs the band from the currents of musical fashion. Ten years in the business has taught them to please themselves but this EP does not sound indulgent. There is a sinuous power to these songs and Blood Command create a very satisfying illusion of simplicity woven out of complex and intricate musical components. There is some beautiful twin guitar work, for instance, in closing track Afraid Of Water that evokes the very best of Thin Lizzy. But that’s just a moment among many. Blood Command are their own masters and beholden to no diktats of style or genre.

Return Of The Arsonist is not for the fainthearted. If anthemic and dramatic punk pop metal that isn’t dripping with macho bullshit is what you crave, I recommend you grab yourself Return Of The Arsonist, light the touch-paper and stand well back. Good work, Norway. Dix points.

Return Of The Arsonist can be pre-ordered here