Review: Flagg - Diabolical Bloodlust

Band: Flagg
Album: Diabolical Bloodlust
Genre: Black Metal
Country: Finland
Label: Purity Through Fire
Released: April 4th, 2025

Introduction

Diabolical Bloodlust is Flagg's third full-length album. Their discography includes Nothing but Death (2020) and Cosmic Chaos Manifest (2021), both released under Purity Through Fire. The album features eight tracks, including "Storming the Gates," "Morningstar Rising," and the title track "Diabolical Bloodlust." The lineup consists of Flagg handling guitars, bass, and synths; Tyrant on vocals; and Krzysztof Klingbein providing session drums.

After a few good listening sessions, it's time to dive it...

Diabolical Bloodlust

Tracklist:

1. Storming the Gates
2. Morningstar Rising
3. Diabolical Bloodlust
4. The Book of Death
5. Throne Regained
6. Call of Darkness
7. In Famine and in Pestilence
8. Omega Dawn

Diabolical Bloodlust by Flagg hit me right away with its energy and aggression. The first track opens at full speed, with no build-up or warning. From the very start, it gives off a “no surrender, no remorse” atmosphere and that energy holds strong all the way through the album.

This was my first time hearing Flagg, so I’m not yet familiar with their earlier albums like Nothing but Death or Cosmic Chaos Manifest. But based on Diabolical Bloodlust, they made a strong impression, and I’ll definitely go back and listen to their past work.

What stands out most to me is how the album spreads a clear “anti-sound” a kind of rejection of the modern world and its values. Like many black metal bands, Flagg isn’t just trying to sound aggressive, they have intent behind the chaos. It feels like they’re trying to say that everything needs to be burned down to the ground, and I couldn't agree more with that feeling.

Vocally, Tyrant gives a strong performance. His screams sound full of agony, like he's standing inside a burning and collapsing church. It feels like pain we’re all supposed to share in, and that’s something I’ve always felt in black metal. These days, I don’t listen to albums to feel part of something darker, like I did when I was younger, but I do still enjoy watching the world burn from the outside. This album fits that mood.

While Diabolical Bloodlust is very chaotic, it isn’t mindless. There are hints of melody, but they stay in the background, just under the surface. That’s why I would compare this album most to White Death—there’s that same mix of raw energy. It’s not about showing off complexity, it’s about brining more chaos into the world.

Overall, Diabolical Bloodlust stands out in the modern Finnish black metal scene for its clarity of violence. Bands like Kalmankantaja and Sielunvihollinen explore atmosphere and melody in more obvious ways, but Flagg keeps things direct and destructive. They hide their depth beneath the blast beats, and that makes the album even more powerful.

Conclusion

This album is for everyone who likes fast-paced no - nonsense black metal, is it the best album out there, with this style? No, it's not, but that's fine. It's a decent album and I really enjoyed it. The album itself is still in my rotation when listening to music, so kudos to them.

BMZ Rating: 7,5 out of 10 – Good: A solid and enjoyable album overall. It boasts strong songwriting and performance quality, delivering a cohesive and satisfying listen.

Support the band here: https://flaggofficial.bandcamp.com/album/diabolical-bloodlust

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