The ninth album, God Of Angels Trust, is due to be released by Volbeat next week, and although it has been four years since their last release (Servant of the Mind), I can assure you that the wait has most definitely been worth it! No strangers to the scene; with 143 platinum and gold certifications, Volbeat are also the only band outside of North America to have achieved ten number one spots on the Billboard Mainstream Rock airplay chart. Volbeat is Michael Poulsen on vocals and guitar, Kaspar Boye Larsen on bass and Jon Larsen on drums. As with earlier albums, God Of Angels Trust was produced by Jacob Hansen and during recording, Flemming C. Lund who tours with Volbeat (and also a member of Asinhell) stepped up as lead guitarist.
Just from the two singles already released from the album, I suspected that God Of Angels Trust was going to be darker overall than previous albums, and this is definitely the case. Not only does the darkness arise from songs about serial killers and other such, but also from Poulsen’s introspections on some major events in his own life – not least his recovery from throat surgery in recent years. Although some tracks are instantly recognisable as being traditional Volbeat; at times, the band has taken the opportunity to tear up their own rule book and start afresh. Rather than the usual and lengthy approach for developing new material, instead Poulsen decided to not actually think too much about the process. He commented that “In the past, I’ve taken a long time to write and obsessed over so many elements of the songs before finishing them. “This time, I wanted to make a Volbeat record without thinking too much about it. Instead of following any kind of structure I said, ‘Okay, there are no rules. I can do anything I want. I can start with a chorus or do songs that are just a bunch of verses stacked on top of each other. Anything goes.’ That was freeing for me and made it exciting to write this album.”
Across the album there are fantastic and distinctive riffs, along with really strong bass and some drumlines that not only give a thrash feel to some parts of the album but at other times help push rhythmic boundaries. Looking in a bit more detail at God Of Angels Trust, the first track Devils Are Awake has an opening drum and bassline that will ensure you really are awake! As the track continues, syncopations and some other musical surprises appear along the way – particularly in the bridge – which all contribute to a heavy and distinctive track. The second and already released By A Monster’s Hand continues to throw out some unexpected musical surprises and if you haven’t heard it yet, then do check out the official video here:
Acid Rain definitely comes across as the ballad of the album; with its conventional style musical approach and poignant lyrics. The pace kicks up again for the fourth track Demonic Depression and the thrash vibes are really shining through the double bass drumline. The next track, the already released and fantastically titled In The Barn Of The Goat Giving Birth To Satan’s Spawn In A Dying World Of Doom not only has a Johnny Cash style opener but also manages to pay tribute to Sabbath. This was actually the first song written for the album and Poulsen reflected that “I thought, ‘let’s just have some really cool riffs where the essence of the song should be. And since there’s no chorus, why not have a really cool line that becomes the climax of the lyrics and is also the song title?….’” I personally think this unconventional structure does give something extra to the track and I must say, it is fast becoming one of my favourites from the album as it is just so deliciously quirky!
The slower paced and melancholic Time Will Heal is probably the first track on the album that shows off the style and hooks that Volbeat are usually recognised for, and this continues into Better Be Fueled Than Tamed where the rockabilly and groove really shines through. Like earlier tracks, the experimental approach is also really clear – especially with the riffy and doom-laden bridge.
At The End Of The Sirens is heavy on the doom and once again various syncopations are used to good effect and the penultimate Lonely Fields has a choppiness to the opener that softens out into a bittersweet and recognisably Volbeat chorus along with some creative interludes. The album is wrapped up with Enlightening The Disorder (By A Monster’s Hand Part 2) with its fast paced opener and range of both musical and vocal styles. I also think the name of this final track is a great metaphor for the album as a whole: God Of Angels Trust has firmly enlightened the disorder that could have arisen from such an experimental approach to both the development and production of the album.
As we know, Volbeat are no strangers to fusing genres, but I think that God Of Angels Trust has pushed this to a whole new creative level, and although Poulsen’s death metal roots can often be heard in Volbeat’s catalogue, perhaps the fact that he has also been working and touring with his current death metal band Asinhell has helped bring new perspective to the Volbeat studio. The whole album was written and recorded in around five weeks, and the tracks were recorded live in the studio in as few takes as possible to help keep the edge. Although the approach to the album has been very experimental for Volbeat; for me, and I suspect others will agree, it has definitely worked, producing a solid and musically interesting album. I think that God Of Angels Trust could push some existing fans out of their comfort zone, but at the same time, this may also be the cut that opens up Volbeat to a new fan base.
Track Listing
- Devils Are Awake
- By A Monster’s Hand
- Acid Rain
- Demonic Depression
- In The Barn Of The Goat Giving Birth To Satan’s Spawn In A Dying World Of Doom
- Time Will Heal
- Better Be Fueled Than Tamed
- At The End Of The Sirens
- Lonely Fields
- Enlightening The Disorder (By A Monster’s Hand Part 2)
Released through Vertigo/Universal, God Of Angels Trust is available on 6th June 2025 and you can pre-order the physical album as well as pre-save to streaming platforms here.
Volbeat are also out on their “Greatest Of All Tours Worldwide” this year and will be visiting the UK in November.
“Although the approach to the album has been very experimental for Volbeat……. it has definitely worked, producing a solid and musically interesting album…. God Of Angels Trust could push some existing fans out of their comfort zone, but at the same time, this may also be the cut that opens up Volbeat to a new fan base.”
Special thanks to Universal Music Group.
