Reviews list for Bathory - The Return...... (1985)

Bathory is back at it again with more of the same for their sophomore album. The differences between this and the debut are minimal; same terrible production quality, same evil riffs and lyrics, same snarling screams. Which is good, because the first album succeeded in all these aspects. The songs stay almost exclusively fast tempo, and the drumming definitely sounds more controlled. The good stuff isn’t really better than their debut, but it definitely sounds like the album is more consistent, with almost no weak moments throughout. Bathory would later go on to pioneer new genres of metal, but here they stick to their original style, and there’s not much else to say about it.

This album really started it all. Whereas the debut was still somewhat more rooted in a sloppy Punk/Motörhead style (one thing it already had right were the blasphemous Satanic lyrics/image), this one has all the evil atmosphere and violent chaos we've come to expect from the Nordic/Scandinavian hordes since. Except for the slower, more atmospheric (but still just as evil) Born for Burning, the album at first sounds just like a big chaotic mess, and it certainly is if you don't pay attention to what's going on. Once you start to make sense of the chaos, however, you'll notice there are some AMAZING riffs on here. Now remember, what has Metal always been about? The riffs, right? Now you should start to notice why this album is seen as such a classic and a milestone. It had all the elements just right for later bands to follow in it's footsteps. Without Bathory and this album right here we wouldn't have Mayhem, we wouldn't have Darkthrone, or any of those other 2nd wave bands. The importance of this one can't really be overstated. It's a true masterpiece in every sense of the word.

Bathory's debut album had already caused quite a stir in 1984. It took metal to a new level of darkness with evil imagery, satanic lyrics etc. I think it holds up well to this very day. Unfortunately, this second release has never managed to capture me in quite the same way. It has an even darker sound than the first one and Quorthon's vocals are even more evil sounding, yet there are hardly any memorable songs on here. Total Destruction is great and others such as Born For Burning and The Return of Darkness and Evil are decent enough, but the album seems to just roll by without grabbing my attention.

This is still an important and influential release, yet I feel it is the least in quality out of the classic Bathory black metal albums.