On their official website, VOODOO GODS state that they could be described as "the serpent under whose auspices gather all who share the faith." Ask anyone on the Metal Temple staff though and they'd probably just describe them as a bad-ass Death Metal band. "Anticipation For Blood Levelled In Darkness" is executed with confidence, enthusiasm and technical precision and fans of unwavering sonic brutality will lap this up. But while they might initially seem like a straightforward and traditional act, there's a twist in the tale...there's a God damn snake in the plane Jock!

It goes without saying that when you've got members of CANNIBAL CORPSE, DIES IRAE and SEVERE TORTURE in the line-up that things are going to get heavy, but it's the subject matter that makes VOODOO GODS stand out. Christianity comes in for the requisite kicking but despite the (rather phallic looking) upside-down cross on the cover art, they don't take their cues from Satanism. Instead, the emphasis is on the animal spirits of Voodoo and while it doesn't make that much of a difference, it's a refreshing spin on an otherwise very traditional album.

Religious commentary aside, they also tackle the evils of Colonialism and this results in a few interesting moments. You wouldn't hear a song about a famous Zulu King on a SIX FEET UNDER record for instance, but here 'Cetewayo' fits right in. The strangulated cries of 'Hail the King' are bound to make this a live favourite and the sound of a hundred tribal warriors marching off to Isandlwana is a nice atmospheric touch.

Aside from the song topics though, "Anticipation For Blood..." is at heart a grand old Death Metal album. The drums are absolutely pumelling, the guitars rage at a constant, breakneck pace and the dual vocals of Seth Van De Loo and George 'Corpsegrinder' Fisher are guttural, screeching and deliciously malevolent. There's very little in the way of hooks or concessions to the mainstream, it's just to the point, ruthless violence and it rules. "Renaissance Of Retribution", "The Termination Of God" and "Wrath Of The Invisible Children" are all so old-school they still allow caning and even if they were about more over-done issues like burning Churches or how awesome Lucifer is, they'd still get our approval.

So yes, it is all a little bit pretentious to talk about the power of the serpent being expressed through music, but if it turns out this good it doesn't matter. "Anticipation For Blood Levelled In Darkness" is a great debut and they could do for Voodoo what NILE did for Ancient Egypt. Snakes, why did it have to be snakes?