WHITE BARONESS are a new band of old souls. Both bassist T.A.P.P. and drummer Hateful Void currently play in Finland's wild & wily Morgal, and vocalist Magister Salax D'Volta also fronted that band for nearly a decade while also currently numbering the nefarious likes of Devil Moon, Mutant Sex Demon, and Kirous among others. Likewise, guitarist Hell Priest of Nocturnal Mass played with Magister in Sperm Angel, and both currently play together in Sigon. And while it's perhaps unjust to expect WHITE BARONESS to not sound unlike Morgal to some degree, this unique pairing of past and present Morgal members gives some pause to ponder, "What if?"
Such is the devilish question at hand with WHITE BARONESS' full-length debut, War Chariots. Whereas earlier Morgal was all berzerker witching metal with electricity flying fast & free and then their eventual debut album showing a more finessed, velvety-purple side in line with No Fashion classics from the mid '90s, War Chariots shows a parallel side: hypnotically martial and yet still lightning-fast, nightside melodicism just as palpitating but arguably more off the rails, altogether bringing out the latent South American influences in Morgal's overarching Nifelheim-esque foundation. Or, you could more successfully argue that WHITE BARONESS are mining similar obsidian gems but just sorting them into different, sootier treasure chests - ones where, given the very subtle but very effective use of organ, you almost hear something resembling the vampiric. But like the preceding Morgal themselves, WHITE BARONESS are incredibly tight given how spiraling & speeding their attack is, imparting a dangerousness that's not solely Morgal's but, rather, simply instrinsic to the souls of the men behind both bands. Get ready to ride these War Chariots...if you can hold on!
