Customer Reviews

Octagon

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After trailblazing through black metal, death metal, and viking metal, Bathory for the first time takes on an already established style - Pantera-style aggro metal. Unfortunately, Bathory doesn't get a good enough production job to pull it off. A weak drum sound and awkward sounding vocals just make this seem like a watered down version of Pantera. Quorthon can scream, and he's even proved that he can sing, but he's not too good at the hardcore-style shout. The underlying songs aren't too bad, but they just don't come across.

This is the only Bathory album with such a rebel filled sound. It kinda sounds like slowed down thrash. I had this album many years ago and then sold it because I didn't like it. But recently I remembered how different this album sounds from their other albums and I decided to pick it up once again. And I'm glad I did because it is a really great thrash/black metal album. Listen to it when you're drunk, it's the best.
Quorthon you rebel.

One of the great mysteries in life has to be why metal scribe Martin Popoff ('The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal') dismisses Bathory's first four albums (including...'Blood Fire Death') as "vacuum-cleaner-with-drums ...metal" and loves First, the production and mix: the worst of any Bathory album, including 'Requiem'; thin guitars andnoisy biscuit-tin drums that are borderline unlistenable...it almost strikes me that Quorthon is trying to artificially recreate the garage feel of the Heavenshore days, but he forgot to include the chainsaw on steroids and the vomit vocals. And speaking of vocals...yeesh. Utterly tuneless shouting and without either the sickness or the vitriol he's known for. The songs: like leftovers from 'Requiem' with ridiculous social commentary ("Century" is utterly insipid) or lyrics that are just over-the-top disgusting ("33 Something", which describes John Wayne Gacy's sex murders in repulsively explicit detail). Did Quorthon REALLY want this album to come out this way?

'Octagon' is so bad that it has actually discouraged me from plopping down my (cash)to check out 'Destroyer of Worlds', and anyone who questions my devotion to this band is advised to check out my other reviews. I heartily encourage any young black metal devotee who hasn't heard a Bathory album before to check 'em out...but avoid this one like the plague.

If you listen to classics like, the first Bathory or The Return and then throw on Octagon, it doesn't sound like the same band. The most wicked one man band strayed away from the early sound that made Bathory a must in any Black Metal freak's collection. On this one you still have that shrewd Bathory guitar sound, the drumming is like old school thrash and speed metal, the singing reminds me of something like old Sacred Reich. Basically, it's not like the early stuff, but still good enough to listen to. I wouldn't listen to this one time and then chuck it: come on, it's Bathory! I gave it 3 stars as a decent thrash outing; an extra star for four because it's Bathory man!

IT MUST BE NOTED THAT THIS ALBUM FOLLOWED REQUIEM WHICH WAS ONLY 33.25 MINUTES LONG AND OCTAGON COMES IN AT 39.51 MINUTES.MY POINT IS THESE TWO ALBUMS COULD HAVE BEEN SOLD AS ONE ALBUM AS THEY ARE BOTH SIMILAR AND THE LAST OF THIS TYPE OF MUSIC BEFORE QUORTHON WENT ON HIS NORDIC ADVENTURE WITH BLOOD ON ICE.DESTROYER OF WORLDS AND NORDLAND 1& 2.OVERALL THIS ALBUM IS VERY POWERFUL WITH SOME STAND OUT SONGS LIKE BORN TO DIE(MY FAVOURITE)GREY.CENTURY.33 SOMETHING.WAR SUPPLY BEING THE BEST.BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE
IS EVEN A KISS COVER CALLED DEUCE ON THIS ALBUM.OVERALL AN EXCELLENT PRODUCTION. R.I.P BROTHER QUORTHON.

Flawed, certainly. But nowhere near as bad as many fans would lead you to believe. In fact, "Octagon", while not one of Bathory's best, is still a damned fine album and better than 9 out of 10 albums released in 1996. I think Quorthon was going for an 'industrial', contemporary sound...but, as usual, didn't have the budget to do it the right way. If he'd had the finances "Octagon" could easily have been a masterpiece. The songs, except for that bizarre Kiss cover, are substantial; his guitar work in particular is savage and very hot. He didn't want to return completely to the savagery of the first few Bathory albums which is why his vocals are a cross between his early style and the Viking approach of the later albums. So he came off, as a singer, somewhat stifled and unsatisfying. But thats really a minor complaint as far as I'm concerned. Bathory is incapable of doing poor work. "Octagon", I believe, is a great cd that in time will grow on the listener, as it did me, and thus is an excellent investment.

in fact, this is the worst bathory album. it's kinda boring and annoying. sure, it has some cool songs, like born to die (very great).. but... only buy this if it's the last one to complete your bathory collection.

Well, this is probably the most unliked bathory album in forever. nobody likes it. personally, i think it's not bad , and not good. the production is not so bad as everyone says, but the songs are not well composed. it's kinda the same style. there is a very good song called born to die on it. but anyway, i like to listen to it.

i bought jubileum 3 (a bathory compilation) at a flea market after hearing the first track "33 something" i had never hrard bathory.after hearing the whole thing i was a little disappointed w/ most the songs , except for the tracks off requiem & octagon . since then i've bought these two albums & octagon is my favorite of the two . its raw & sloppy like like fresh clevered flesh topped off w/ a sleazy sounding cover of kisses deuce . this is not a band trying to sound like pantera or anyone else ,least not on this album.