BÜTCHER - On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing (Review)

Written by: Blackie Skulless

Bütcher are a Belgian act that has been around for decades, despite the first full-length record not hitting until 2017. They may not have sold me right away, but their second album titled 666 Goats Carry My Chariot absolutely blew me away (I mean really, how can a title like that not?) Considering their borderline parody-meets-evil speed metal with a blackened hue, I figured there was enough room for strong continuity. Enter the latest release, On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing, which does exactly that.

From a foundational standpoint, Bütcher retained the exact same attitude that cemented their identity before this time around. Obvious odes to classic metal bands with tongue-in-cheek themes that you can still take a little seriously are very present. The frontman’s notable shriek-singing is still here, kicking out harsh passages that have a burning atmosphere without getting too raspy, and an emphasis on strong leads still takes precedence. Interestingly, what’s different now is that the band lays off the blackened tropes a bit.

---

In other words, there’s a noticeable step towards more melody this time around, and the former smoky atmosphere seems to have settled a little bit. There’s certainly no denying a fierce and mean tint, but it’s more of a topping than a main ingredient this time. Some songs like “Keep The Steel (Flamin’ Hot)” amp up the speed, adding in blast beats and burning hot layers of explosive riffing. You may also note that the record progressively gets longer as you reach the back, touching on epic proportions they’ve tampered with before. “A Gypsy’s Tale (Of Sex And Seance)” even implements growls, bordering on the death metal side at times, one of the more odd tunes but a pleasant one at that.
​

​But to reiterate, On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing has got more melody than we’ve ever seen with Bütcher. Early on, “Speed Metal Samurai” acts as a straightforward punch with fairly catchy chops, and “Blessed By The Blade” follows this path with an ever-so-gruff push. Yet, the latter even feels like the tones are dialed back, which was refreshing. I’ll even note, the entire run of “A Sacrifice To Satan’s Spawn” is about as close as you can get to nodding to the debut Iron Maiden record without feeling like a straight up rip-off, mostly because of the guitar progressions’ blend with the drum patterns. I may even say that some of this comes off awkwardly at times, but it’s very minimal and easy to overlook.

Perhaps On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing didn’t blow me away like the last effort, but I still very much enjoy every minute of it. At minimum, there’s a lot going on without feeling overwhelming, and the general move towards something slightly more accessible was solid. I’ll always love the perfect balance the Belgians swing where they feel a bit silly at times without losing a harsh edge or being tough to take seriously. Any fans of the speed/thrash/black metal spectrum should give this a shot.
​
Bütcher - On Fowl Of Tyrant Wing was released OCt. 25th, 2024 via Osmose. Find it here!

---

Bütcher can be found:
Bandcamp
​Facebook