THY BLACK BLOOD The Rise of the Misanthrope CD

The 2020 album The Rise of the Misanthrope by the Portuguese band Thy Black Blood, released as a professional CD digipak through a co-edition between War Productions and Void Wanderer Productions, is a fierce manifestation of Raw and Melodic Black Metal. Hailing from the Lisbon area and led by the multi-instrumentalist Ricardo S., the project returned with this second full-length after a decade-long hiatus following their debut. The album serves as a grim reflection of misanthropy and spiritual decay, characterized by a production that captures the coldness of the 90s second-wave black metal while maintaining enough clarity to highlight the band's penchant for dark, mournful melodies. The record is composed of eight tracks that balance relentless tremolo picking and blast beats with slower, more atmospheric segments that emphasize a sense of profound isolation. The tracklist includes titles such as The Rise of the Misanthrope, Death Is My Path, Broken Soul, and The Last Breath of Life, alongside pieces like Deep Within the Abyss, Shadows of the Past, Eternal Darkness, and the closing Final Destination. Throughout the album, the vocal performance is particularly piercing, conveying a sense of genuine desperation and hatred that aligns with the lyrical themes of human rejection and the embrace of the void. By partnering with labels known for supporting the underground extreme scene, Thy Black Blood ensured that this comeback was presented in a high-quality physical format, solidifying their status as one of the most uncompromising and dedicated acts in the contemporary Portuguese black metal landscape.