Disciple B.C. – Blood, Power, Sacrifice

Disciple B.C. have whipped up a church-burning frenzy in the West Country of England. If you’ve been waiting for Jello Biafra to do a collaboration with Wolfbrigade, this is as close as you’re gonna get. Nathan Brown tries to clear the fog of mystery surrounding this crust outfit driven by d-beat, black metal, and an anti-religious zeal.

The Obi strip sets the scene in scratchy hand, telling the origin story of how Disciple B.C. came into existence on their mission to heal the black metal community using the power of d-beat. The B.C. stands for Burning Churches. Disciple B.C. are a concept band with their tongues firmly in their cheeks—or is that just a cover to hide behind, and the legend is the real truth? Images I’ve seen of them playing have them fully bedecked in monks’ robes: The Reverend Schnider, Saab Johnson, Kristofer Jakalsson, and Hamer Von Hamersson. Behind these noms de guerre, the immense rhythm section can at other times be found in the engine room of Agnosy, propelling them on their own d-beat odysseys. The drums manage to sound cavernous. Like… ah go on, then… like an enormous door slamming in the depths of hell. Meanwhile, the heavy AF guitar is provided by Bri from Doom with just a nod to Mr. Iommi and all who have followed in his wake. Anyone who has heard Doom will know that his tone is Sabbath via Discharge.

Somehow this band of defilers manage to tread the fine line between d-beat and black metal without veering over the edge. Speaking as someone whose life was irrevocably changed by the first few Discharge singles and confesses to being a d-beat obsessive at the turn of the century, I have to admit I am a little bored of the style. When every new band is trying to achieve the same guitar tone and grindy bass sound, play the same drum patterns, and snarl in the same way, it all becomes template-tastic. Disciple B.C. sidestep this cul-de-sac. Not only do they have their concept, but they mark themselves out with an injection of black metal (yeah, yeah, Skitsystem and Martyrdöd did that too) and an individual vocal style. Above all, though, they’re better at it than the pack. Call it crust if you must.

I don’t have the knowledge of metal that some of my mates have, so I just don’t have the reference points, but I can say this is huge sounding. Heavy and pounding like Wolfbrigade and Disfear. Bri is also the producer responsible for the huge sound. If you want heavy, Studio Black Cloud is the place to go. Meanwhile, the song content is like immersing yourself in a carnival of Hammer horror films and Dennis Wheatley potboilers.

Church bells and the sound of a burning about to take place herald instrumental opener “Blood, Power, Sacrifice,” which motors along, and I am reminded of ’80s thrash metal with some neat bass noodling going on. “Onward Christian Soldiers” takes things in more of the heavy d-beat direction with vocals switching between some kind of ’80s metal and guttural satanic growls. “Last Days” drinks from the metal at more of a mid-pace before yet more metal in “River Of Fire,” which plays out with a solid Wolfbrigade-style tune. It is at this point that we first hear the hints of the vocal style that makes this record stand out. There’s a bit of the wobble of Jello Biafra at play.

The Käng crunch is up to 10 as “The Power Of Blood” concludes the first side (Side B, the second side being Side C, of course). By this time, the Rev. Schnider has gone full Jello on us. It’s got twists and turns with little sprints at full pelt, and some of the sounds as it plays out remind me of the atmosphere on Metallica’s “Master Of Puppets.”

The thundering drums really stand out as “Satan Is Real” starts our second side. The vocals are raw like a mid-’80s punk band with just a touch of early Metallica or Dr. Know. That Biafra-esque vocal timbre is back in full effect on “Ave Maria,” which, after a bit more bass noodling, continues into “Pray,” which is a full-pelt rager. The combined effect is not unlike Lard at their most industrial-sounding. To be honest, if you remember the spate of post-Dead Kennedys collaborations Biafra did in the late ’80s, this really does have that kind of feel. If you’ve been waiting for Jello Biafra with Wolfbrigade, this is as close as you’re gonna get.

“Testify” continues in a similar vein but is full of gloriously cheeky drum flourishes. The short but crushing Sabbath-fest “Black Hole” segues into “Into The Nite,” where the Sherman Tank bass is more evident. It sets off on a galloping journey which sounds like the makers of 1970s kids’ TV show “The Flashing Blade” had jumped forward in time and booked a band from a Speed Kills compilation to record the theme tune. Another segue takes us into the rockin’ triplets of “The Bottom Of Your Soul,” and a reprise of “Black Hole” finishes things off. The album is sealed by a sample: “If there is a hell we’ll see you there,” church bells, fire, and the sound of a church collapsing into the abyss with roaring flames on a locked groove. Hammer House of Horror meets the real-life spate of church burnings by black metal arsonists.

As is fitting, the great cover art is evocative of Hammer House Of Horror. Having a Side B and Side C is a nice touch, as is the scratchy horror-style lyric booklet titled “Exorcisms”—black on red, of course.

Available from Agipunk, and if you’re lucky, the band may have a few left, but they were going fast.