I could say the same for album number 11, Endarkenment. You know exactly what you are getting with the blistering industrial black metal/grind fusion and dave Hunt’s ear worming, Ihsahn-ish clean vocals thrown in. And on this album, the pendulum definitely swings to the ‘more frequent’ side of things, as there are more choruses, and I dare say this might be Anaal Nathrakh‘s most ‘melodic’ and ‘accessible’ album. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still seething and vicious as fuck, and certainly, still undeniably Anaal Nathrakh, but there is certainly an increased level of melody, and not just in the choruses, and Hunt said it succinctly leading up to the release;  “I think in terms of feel, it’s brighter, more open and direct than maybe we’ve been in the past”.

And speaking of choruses, the album gets right to it with the opening title track, with arguably the best song/chorus the duo has penned since “Between Shit and Piss We Are Born” from Eschaton. I mean, it’s like the band just throws down a power metal chorus right in the middle of the sonic shit show. And there are plenty more where that came from in the likes of ” The Age of Starlight Ends”, “Libidinous (A Pig with Cocks in Its Eyes)” and “Create Art, Though the World May Perish”, as Dave Hunt continues to show he’s one of the best and most varied vocalists around and to be honest, I’m at the point where I’m ready for an album of some sort with just his clean vocals (just not an Anaal Nathrakh album though, maybe an A. A Nemtheanga Dread Sovereign type of side project?).

And it’s not just the choruses, the melodic developments can be heard in riffs like another standout track “Singularity”, “Feeding the Death Machine” (also with a cool chorus from Hunt), “Punish Them” or pure melodic black metal as seen on closer “Requiem”, and still, the duo keeps things as devastating as ever amid the proceedings making sure your face is peeled off no matter how melodic (i.e “Thus, Always, to Tyrants”, “Beyond Words”).

Yet another killer album from Anaal Nathrakh, who is now a model of brilliant consistency almost 20 years after the apocalyptic debut, The Codex Necro, and somehow manage to keep things interesting yet vehemently creative.

Their last 2 albums Desideratum and Vanitas were pretty killer; however, some of their catchier, memorable vocal patterns and songs, were kind of put on the back burner, which many fans were yearning for, until now…. The Whole of the Law is Anaal Nathrakh’s 9th album and harnesses their catchiness, epic qualities of their earlier works.  As punishing as ever, the band has delivered one of the finest albums for 2016 and best albums in their catalog.  “The Nameless Dread”, is an intro, creating ambience and intrigue with the audio sample and music, before the epic beginning of “Depravity Favours the Bold”, comes crashing through your speakers with brilliant background haunting chorals and Dave’s insane vocals erupt around you with screams and some of his screams have a little Udo, from classic Accept, ring to them. The brilliant higher symphonic vocal tones at the 2 minute mark are exceptional and you will smile from ear to ear.

Mick Kenney continues to be the innovator behind the band’s musical soundscapes.  The drum programming is magnificent and the guitars are viciously heavy and some of the bass guitar bleeds through the chaos every once in a while. “Hold Your Children Close and Pray for Oblivion” is such a killer song title and the music is even better.  Killer vocals and insanity abounds, with some vicious and punishing industrial metal beats, before more of the grind comes in just collapsing cities and creating sinkholes worldwide.  Dave’s symphonic, higher registers come through again multiple times and again, as astonishing as ever.  I would like to point out that Anaal Nathrakh, insert some Bile like industrial undertones to the drums and some of Dave’s vocals, during this particular track, have a very Krztoff inspired approach, which is awesome!

“In Flagrante Delicto”, begins with some monstrous samples and some inspired G.G.F.H. [boy I’m pulling out all the stops with obscure band references, with this review], vocals, which are plain evil.  This song is punishingly, devilish and melodic, with some more amazing vocals and rhythms and as heavy as your mother-in-law, after a Christmas feast.  One of the best songs the band has ever written.  But hey, we’re not over yet, mofo’s.  This is the limited edition digibook, with 2 extra songs.  The digibook is exceptionally layed out with explanations of the album concept and lyrical concepts, but is also a taller than average digibook.  The album is written from a demon’s point of view and Anaal Nathrakh’s nihilistic themes are perfect for their musical creation.

One of the bonus tracks is a cover of Iron Maiden’s classic “Powerslave” song, from the album of the same name, and my favorite metal album of all time.  So I hold Powerslave as sacred, Anaal Nathrakh, better not F it up…One thing I want to see bands do is make a cover song their own.  Redoing a song that sounds exactly like the original, to me, is boring.  Anaal Nathrakh took the approach I was looking for and twisted “Powerslave” into their own bastard song from the very depths of hell.  Yes, they incorporate all their blackened grindcore, industrial, chaotic brutality.  The vocals come in perfectly with the drum machine double bass ripping heads off worldwide.  The Maiden guitar melodies come through beautifully.  Dave’s vocals are brilliant, with his brutal lows and his vocals during the chorus are a thing of horrific, brutal, brilliance. Terrific… This is one of the best cover songs ever created, right alongside the heaviest song ever created, Hail of Bullets, monstrous cover of Twisted Sister’s “Destroyer”-nothing will ever be heavier than that cover, good god.

Ok, enough of my blathering, get The Whole of the Law. Anaal Nathrakh have delivered the goods with an album so incredibly awesome, it goes toe to toe with their strongest releases, such as In the Constellation of the Black Widow, easily.  Original, destructive, evil, creatively original and most of all godly.  Buy or Die!!

Comments ANAAL NATHRAKH: “We are very pleased to announce our signing with Metal Blade Records. It means we are joining a roster with some truly titanic figures, and a label responsible for releasing some utterly legendary albums. Few other labels can touch their legacy in metal. With Metal Blade’s reputation and clout behind us, we look forward to previously undreamed of levels of despoilment.”

ANAAL NATHRAKH was created for one purpose – to be the soundtrack for armageddon, the audial essence of evil, hatred and violence, the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes. Since being founded in 1999, the band has gained a reputation for embodying precisely these things, with a history including not only the release of seven albums and an EP to rapturous acclaim, but collaborations with such legendary figures as Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death), Nick Barker (Testament, Dimmu Borgir), Joe Horvath (Circle of Dead Children), Sethlans Teitan (Watain) and so on. This, alongside appearing on BBC Radio 1 at the personal behest of sadly missed icon John Peel, headlining a stage at the renowned cult Inferno Festival in Norway as their debut international live appearance, countless placings in ‘best album of the year’ polls and album of the month awards in the press and cover appearances on leading magazines such as Terrorizer… ANAAL NATHRAKH‘s status as one of the leading lights in extreme metal is undeniable.

Uniquely hallmarked by breathtaking musical ferocity, inventiveness and breadth, married with mercurial, intensely misanthropic and sharp intelligence, ANAAL NATHRAKH‘s sound is imbued with a palpable sense of menace that is virtually unmatched in metal. Comments from respected publications include ‘these dudes split ‘terrifyingly heavy and fierce’ and ‘giant dork’ straight down the middle and sew it up again like Dr. Frankenstein working on the monster.‘ (Decibel), ‘ANAAL NATHRAKH are one of the best bands out there when it comes to evoking horror and terror.’, ‘a master class in extreme metal‘ (Metalsucks), ‘…a thrill ride of horrors’ (Pitchfork) and ‘You’ve been warned. Prostrate or be conquered‘ (Lastrites).

Of their live performances, Terrorizer magazine said ‘Anaal Nathrakh leave no room for dissention or ambivalence when they hit the stage. And when Dave finally shouts out that immortal quote about humanity’s inevitable downfall, you fucking feel the boot slam down on to your neck‘. Or according to The Quietus, ‘Anaal Nathrakh’s performance was undoubtedly one of the most powerful and intimidating examples of controlled anarchy you’re ever likely to see‘. Having made the transition from studio project to a true live band, they have gone on to play many of the most prestigious metal events out there including Roskilde in Denmark, Hellfest in France, Inferno in Norway, Scion and the Maryland Deathfest in the USA, Summer Breeze in Germany, Bloodstock in the UK and many more with great success.

With their last album “Vanitas” garnering numerous accolades including appearing in various ‘best of 2012′ lists and winning first place in the Terrorizer readers’ album of the year poll (alongside second places in ‘best vocalist’ and ‘best band’), ANAAL NATHRAKH are set to reach ever higher on their mission to send the Earth crashing into the Sun with their new label Metal Blade and their excoriating new album to be released later this year.

http://www.anaal-nathrakh.com
https://www.facebook.com/Anaalnathrakhofficial
https://twitter.com/ANOfficial
https://www.youtube.com/user/anaalnathrakhtv

However, one could also argue that from Domine Non Es Dignus through Passion, the formula has changed little, and the band’s sound is a little too familiar and stagnant as some found with Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here and In the Constellation of the Black Widow. Still, the band sticks at it and keeps churning out their brand of apocalyptic metal and on their newest release, Vanitas, the band has seemingly turned a corner and truly found a balance that melds their early, caustic hues with their cleaner, newer output – and the end result is a truly devastating album.

First off, the production on Vanitas is the heaviest and gnarliest the band has had since the debut.  It’s still crisp and clean like their more recent releases, but the bottom end and guitar tone are just bowel-prolapsing. Throw in just a few more robotic, industrial beats and cyber moments and it’s simply a merciless swath of sonic destruction. Secondly, there are noticeably fewer ‘catchy’ choruses and clean croons here. There are a few of the trademark Ihsahn-y croons on “Forging Towards the Sunset,” “In Coelo Quies, Tout Finis Ici Bas” and “To Spite the Face,”  but they aren’t nearly as prevalent or repetitive as on prior albums. It appears the band is leaning more towards a vitriolic vocal performance that better fits the music, and VITRIOL/Dave Hunt hasn’t been this unhinged and ferocious since The Codex Necro.

Starting with the short, grinding opening blast of “The Blood Dimmed Tide,” Vanitas is just off-the-chain intense from start to finish. Personal favorite “Todos Somos Humanos” seethes with an utterly menacing opening main groove and proceeds to sonically curb-stomp you with a robotic boot until your face is a bloody pulp. The album’s catchiest track, “You Cant Save Me, so Stop Fucking Trying,” is a anthemic shiv to the stomach yet it’s as close to a respite as this album gets, with a chorus that’s bound to be a live favorite (assuming the mosh pit isn’t nuclear dust and debris). “Make Glorious the Embrace of Saturn” is a barely 3-minute explosion of ridiculously violent cyber punk/grind with a melody line to die for, while “Feeding the Beast” delivers a slow churn and deliberate pace that is tangibly menacing and foreboding. The blistering first single “Of Fire and Fucking Pigs” is as perfect of a melding of melody and viciousness as you’ll ever hear recorded before the closer “A Metaphor for the Dead” ends the album with a somber but fitting mood that drips with a fierce sense of restraint and utterly pummeling groove.

Vanitas is easily the band’s best and most violent effort since Eschaton, both production and song-wise. There are quite literally times during the album where I shuddered with a tangible “whoa,” as it melds that album’s seething, regal neo-grind with the debut’s harsh, caustic atmosphere – resulting in paint-peeling, ear shredding elegance and savagery that few, if any, bands can match.

The ‘thrakh is back (I know they never went away, but I had to squeeze that into the review somewhere).

There is no other band that creates music as frightening as the Birmingham-based metallers. With both screaming banshee and traditional vocals set against a backdrop of the utmost sonic foundation, MetalSucks calls them “a master class in extreme metal.” Vanitas, their seventh album, “sounds like someone showing you what the end of the world is like via the medium of a thousand hammers soaked in acid,” says vocalist Dave Hunt. Digging into the record particulars he notes, “It’s more articulate and focused than any album before it in way of composition and recording technique. We worked hard and we’re convinced it has paid off.”

Since being founded in 1999, ANAAL NATHRAKH has gained a reputation for embodying the audio essence of pure evil. Various collaborations with the likes of Sethlans Teitan (Watain), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death), and others, have placed the band high on media as well metal fans “must seek out” list. This alongside countless placements in “Best Album Of The Month/Year’” awards, ANAAL NATHRAKH’s status as one of the leading lights in extreme metal is undeniable. Decibel Magazine says, “these dudes split ‘terrifyingly heavy and fierce’ and ‘giant dork’ straight down the middle and sew it up again like Dr. Frankenstein working on the monster.” MetalSucks adds, “ANAAL NATHRAKH are one of the best bands out there when it comes to evoking horror and terror.”

ANAAL NATHRAKH will tour Canada for the first time just as Vanitas is released. Beginning in Montreal on November 7, the tour will end in Sherbrooke on November 18. Full tour dates are available on the band and Candlelight’s official Facebook pages.

Vanitas Track List:

1. The Blood-Dimmed Tide

2. Forging Towards the Sunset

3. To Spite the Face

4. Todos Somos Humanos

5. In Coelo Quies, Tout Finis Ici Bas

6. You Can’t Save Me, So Stop F*cking Trying

7. Make Glorious The Embrace of Saturn

8. Feeding the Beast

9. Of Fire, And F*cking Pigs

10. A Metaphor for the Dead

First things first, if you’re a fan of anything this band has done in the last four albums, then get on board with this record ASAP. The speed/intensity is there as well as subtle experimentation – bordering on industrial tinges. Melodic singing that highlights otherwise harsh vocal exorcisms – check, black metal riffs that pack in the aggression first then provide you will-o’-the-wisp melodies – double check. And of course, incredibly tight production.

Speaking of, the production is actually one of the main shifts in sound for the ‘Rakh this time around. Here’s where this review might catch some flack, but if honesty is appreciated then we gotta call it like we see it, and that is quite simply that the production is almost a little too clean, too polished and, well… perfect. Let me qualify that a bit: when In The Constellation Of The Black Widow came out in ’09 it was in my ‘Top Ten’ of that year, and pretty high up on that list I might add. Being that Passion is the follow-up to that record, one of the main differences is that the buzzing edges have been dulled, peaks and valleys have been evened out a bit, and this has left the sound feeling as a bit more processed and not so much the ‘live and explosive’ sound that they’ve carefully managed to blend with their excellent level of precision. The equation needs to be balanced between those two, and this time it has lost some vibrance (again, just talking about production here, remember, just nitpicking) by being a bit more rigid.

Phew! Now that the major gripe is out of the way, let me say that listeners can expect a great experience with this album that stylistically stays in alignment with their previous efforts. “Post Traumatic Stress Euphoria” is certainly one of the more savage songs the band has penned and also contains non-stop amazing riffs one right after the other for the short 1 minute and 42 seconds of play time, making it one of the highest ‘no bullshit shredding to song length’ ratios the band has logged. I must also comment on “Tod Huetet Uebel” – a song that will most likely be known as, “that song with the crazy-ass vocals”. Honestly, when I first heard this track, I almost said outloud “WTF is going on?!” It sounded like a suicidal black metal vocalist getting his balls stepped on – turns out these guest vocals are from Rainer Landfermann of Bethlehem. But then, something happened: I grew to love it. It’s just so over the top, so unusual, and half of lines are recorded with a glitchy, cut-and-pasted quality that it feels like lyrics are literally being thrown at you from different directions. What can I say, I was won over.

Main vocalist Dave “V.I.T.R.I.O.L.” Hunt handles his position with aplomb as always (Re: hair-raisingly pissed off), but there’s something missing. There’s at least one track where I’m left wanting to hear his melodic vocals combine with the guitar to truly take flight in unison, and it’s not really happening on this album. Previous records had this – Domine Non Es Dignus had “Do Not Speak”, Eschaton had “Between Shit And Piss We are Born” (and also, “When The Lion Devours Both Dragon And Child”), Hell Is Empty, And All The Devils Are Here had “The Final Absolution”, In The Constellation Of The Black Widow had “More Of Fire Than Blood”. For some reason Passion doesn’t have that flagship of a song to be found on this record (“Paragon Pariah” maybe gets close, MAYBE).

Perhaps the weight distribution has shifted a bit more from the vocals to Mick Kenney’s riffs, who seriously needs to start getting more props for his riffs, on this album. The man is never experiencing a shortage of killer riffs that put many of their Scandinavian brethren to shame. The blend of aggression, eerie melodies and experimentation within the black metal framework is always exciting to hear at all points on this album. From the slower, but excellent tone-setter of an intro on “Violenti Non Fit Iniuria” and follow-up “Drug Fucking Abomination” to the black glass tornado of speed in the aforementioned “Post Traumatic Stress Euphoria” and also “Le Diabolique Est L’Ami Du Simple” there is a good cross section of speed and feeling represented.

Rather than succinctly say that, “this album should appeal to Anaal Nathrakh fans and likely bring some new ones into the fold” (ahem, lazy/generic reviewing), it really needs to be contrasted against their previous works to see how it stacks up in the band’s own context. As with a band like Amon Amarth, who have many albums and an established sound, you don’t compare the band to their contemporaries or their particular style, the band’s real competition is with themselves. So while I may seem critical, and maybe reach for In The Constellation… or Eschaton only SLIGHTLY before throwing Passion on to kick my ass, it must be said that this is a GREAT album from a band that has been consistently working hard to define a niche and sound which only they occupy.

Basically, if you enjoyed Eschaton or Hell Is Empty, And All the Devils Are Here, you will enjoy In the Constellation of the Black Widow as it essentially follows the same template with the ferocity you’d expect, but like Hell Is Empty, And All the Devils Are Here is quite as commanding and memorable as Eschaton.

After a slow start, the opening title track treads identical territory as “Between Shit and Piss We Are Born” or “When the Lion Devours Both Dragon and Child” from Eschaton or “Virus Bomb”, “The Final Absolution” and “Shatter the Empyrean” from Hell Is Empty, And All the Devils Are Here; vicious, churning blast beats and feral scream that break into a unexpected clean chorus. However, “I Am the Wrath of Gods and the Desolation of the Earth” delivers an unexpected, 2 minute blunt force trauma showing the ‘Thrakh can rip your face off as and when they choose.

And thus is the formula for the rest of the album as the album alternate between fierce chorus filled tracks like “More of Fire Than Blood” and “The Lucifer Effect” and lumbering tracks like “The Unbearable Filth of the Soul” and “Oil Upon the Sores of Lepers”- which could have come from any of the last three Napalm Death albums. In truth, it actually sounds a bit formulaic and overly familiar, especially some of the choruses. Though no less enjoyable, and some subtle melody hidden in the likes of “So Be It”, “Satanarchrist” and closer “Blood Eagles Carved on the Backs of Innocents” keep things a bit interesting.

Production wise, things sound a bit fuller and richer even than Hell Is Empty and the clean tones will be sure to off put already peeved black metal purists. The end result is what you expect at this point in Anaal Nathrakh’s career, but In the Constellation of the Black Widow does come across as a bit redundant and rehashed from the last three albums, despite its intensity and vicious hooks. I’d like to see the band start to morph again and see what they can deliver next time around.

The album is expected for a summertime release. Vocalist V.I.T.R.I.O.L. says, “Candlelight have shown a strong belief in Anaal Nathrakh and looking at some of the acts on their roster both past and present it seems they are capable of backing up their good intentions. With their help we hope we can finally get the planet cracked in half.”

Formed in 1998, Anaal Nathrakh have recorded five full-length albums, their most recent Hell Is Empty and All The Devils Are Here released in 2007 via Feto Records (co-owned by member Mick Kenney and Napalm Death’s Shane Embury). Based in Birmingham, the band sonically fuse traditional black metal with elements of industrial, grindcore, and early-day death metal resulting in a one-of-a-kind soundscape that has earned them high acclaim from media and fans around the globe. Reviewing 2005’s album Eschaton Blabbermouth called the band, “the best at marrying drum machine grind, speed riffing death, and bombastic black metal grandeur to a depraved, filthy and overdriven musical framework. Malevolence oozes from every note, brooding insanity in every scream, and a mastery of just what makes extreme metal such a dark and difficult pleasure. Sick, ugly, essential.”

Commenting on the new album, V.I.T.R.I.O.L. reveals, “Constellation will be faster, more insidious, more ominous, more musically dextrous and wilder than ever before. The album will feature a curve ball guest appearance from Zeitgeist Memento of Mexican extremists Republika.”

According to the band’s official website, Anaal Nathrakh was created for one purpose – to be the soundtrack for Armageddon and the true spirit of necro taken to its musical extremes. The band have collaborated with such legendary figures as Attila Csihar (Mayhem), Shane Embury and Danny Herrera (Napalm Death), Nick Barker (Testament, Dimmu Borgir), Joe Horvath (Circle of Dead Children), Sethlans Teitan (Watain) and more. The band have appeared on BBC’s Radio 1 (per the behest of icon John Peel), headlined a stage at the annual Inferno Festival in Norway, and have found themselves included among countless ‘Best Album of the Year’ polls around the world. Anaal Nathrakh’s status as one of the leading lights in extreme metal is undeniable.

Where Eschaton had the clean tones of Domine Non Es Dignus, it still reverted to the blistering guitar tone of The Codex Necro and now Hell Is Empty now sees the band sway back to the cleaner sheen, of Domine and further expanding the bands grind/death metal side, though with no less scathing results.

With less Mayhem and a far more tangible Napalm Death (Shane Embury once again fill in on bass) and even The Berzerker presence, the more robotic, mechanical production and pacing is still filled with injections of often incomprehensible fury. Dave Hunt again delivers more of his Ihsahn-ish chorus croons amid his truly schizophrenic vocals and Mike Kenny is almost programmed like accuracy and intensity behind the kit.

Musically though, Anaal Nathrakh is one if the few bands that can evolve and develop without losing their underlying savagery. Even with the cleaner tones, clean sung choruses and even hints of melody or death metal/grindcore blunt force trauma (i.e. “Virus Bomb”, “The Final Absolution”, “Shatter the Empyrean”, “Lama Sabachthani”), the apocalyptic intensity of tracks like “Screaming of the Unborn”, “Sanction Extremis (Kill Them All)” and arguably the most intense track the band has penned, closer “Castigation and Betrayal” (which sounds like a lost track from The Codex Necro sessions), still show the ‘thrakh simply choose their moments when to rip your face off and do it unlike no other band out there. The thing is they seem to be doing it less and less with each album, and a tiny part of me predicts and almost full on …And Oceans-like industrial/cyber transformation in a couple of albums or so.

Ultimately Hell is Empty… is a still a top notch, end of year best-like album. However, I will admit I preferred Eschaton, as even with the choruses of Hell is Empty…, none of them hit me quite like “Between Shit and Piss We Are Born” or “When the Lion Devours Both Dragon and Child” and it had that nasty sheen left over from The Codex Necro whereas Hell is Empty has more Domine Non on it.

Well, here is album number three, Eschaton and no more Mr. Nice Guy as the ‘Thrakh is back. Managing to seamlessly meld the debut’s utterly nihilistic guitar tone and blistering pace with a few clean vocals similar to those of ‘Do Not Speak’ from Domine…. In a nut shell, if you liked the songs like ‘Do Not Speak’ from Domine…, go straight to the amazing ‘Between Shit and Piss we are Born’ and ‘When the Lion Devours Both Dragon and Child’ as they have very similar clean choruses. If you preferred The Codex Necro, tracks like ‘The Destroying Angel’, ‘Bellum Omnium Contra Omnes’, ‘Timewave Zero’, ‘The Yellow King’, ‘The Necrogeddon’ and industrialized ‘Regression to the Mean’. Either way, the paint peeling guitar tone and apocalyptic delivery is back and mixed with very well placed melody and clean vocals. The end result sounds like a nun being gang raped by a demon and a robot on top of a scrap heap.

Mick Kenny (aka Irumator) and vocalist Dave Hunt (V.I.T.R.I.O.L), are joined by numerous guests on Eschaton; Shame Embury and Attila Csihar most notably, but the riffs and drumming of Kenny and the now truly awe inspiring vocal delivery of Hunt alone make for a truly caustic experience that , as with the debut, push your limits of extremity tolerance. The superb clean choruses for the aforementioned ‘Between Shit and Piss we are Born’ (which has a bit of a Napalm Death feel to it, I imagine due to Embury) and ‘When the Lion Devours Both Dragon and Child’, are little respite when layered over the bowel prolapsing intensity and surprising melody of both tracks. Then tracks like ‘The Destroying Angel’, (whose intro made me jump every time) and ‘Waiting For the Barbarians’ remove all premise of melody for a completely and utterly devastating, merciless blackened, industrial assault that matches The Codex Necro, for sheer, nasty, open wound infecting savagery that when topped of by ‘Regression to the Mean’, should have been the soundtrack for the movie ‘Tetsuo: The Iron Man’.

I’m sure it’s now time, after only three albums, that we start mentioning Anaal Nathrakh as a truly elite black metal band and the most important metal act to surface from the UK since Napalm Death.

So how does album number 2 stack up’ Well first things first, once past the introductory ‘I Wish I could Vomit Blood on You’People’, a unsettling, wretch laden sample, and “The Oblivion Gene’ explodes from the speakers you immediately notice the cleaner, less abrasive production. Whereas The Codex Necro was a distorted, battery acid guzzling beast, this album is more clinical and razor sharp, and while the new tones certainly removes some of Anaal Nathrakh’s viciousness, it doesn’t take away from the bands blistering Mayhem on meth musical stance, as the ‘Thrakh are still utterly hell bent on delivering spitefully aggressive riffs and a near continual merciless percussive assault. A second a more surprising development is the vocal maelstrom delivered by V.I.T.R.I.O.L. and subtle injection melody as typified for possibly the album’s standout track ‘Do Not Speak’. V.I.T.R.I.O.L. utilizes many styles on this album from his usual barren screech, Emperor/King Diamond ‘esque crescendos, robotic chanting and guttural belching-it all adds up to a very disturbing and twisted vocal soundscape that makes up for the new production’s slight shortcoming. In fact, the Emperor influence can be heard far more obviously amid their Mayhem and Bathory worship, as the complexity has been upped, resulting in a sort swirling, operatic chaos not unlike a more visceral Anthems to the Welkin at Dusk without the keyboards. Now, don’t get me wrong, Anaal Nathrakh haven’t sold out or developed into a lighter act, as drummer, guitarist/drummer Irumator (AKA Mick Kenney of Mistress, Frost and Fukpig) still spits forth some utterly skin peeling riffs and machine gun drums, it’s just more pristine and decipherable.

The entire album still drips with a futuristic menace in spite of the lessened distortion, and due to V.I.T.R.I.O.L’s schizophrenic performance, seems more psychotically ‘human’ rather than the robotic soulless-ness of The Codex Necro. ‘Procreation of the Wretched’ possibly harkens back to the former album with shrill guitar FX backing the manic riffage while the robotic, militaristic gait mixed with the hypnotic chanting of ‘To Err Is Human, To Dream ‘ Futile’ imbues an Orwellian slave state ambiance. ‘The Final Destruction of Dignity (Die Letzten Tage Der Menschheit)’ is the albums most vitriolic track after an initial lull, with Kenny just decimating his drum kit with a level of continual extremity on par with The Berzerker (a band that shares common stylistic themes with Anaal Nathrakh).

Each track, while displaying varying degrees of audio hostility, continue to show Anaal Nathrakh’s insidious evolution that still keeps them atop the modern black metal heap, although frankly I wasn’t quite as taken aback as I was with The Codex Necro, but then again, to top that album for sheer venomous rage would be near impossible, and an album that contains the hypnotic vocal line and controlled groove of ‘This Cannot be the End’ certainly doesn’t compete with their debut.

Admittedly, I preferred The Codex Necro, as the quality of this still abrasive album isn’t quite as immeasurable, but it still hums with a sneering, hateful guise, and even the most ardent metal head will be intimidated by the first few ominous bars and punishing blasts of ‘Rage, Rage Against the Dying of the Light’. Still, Anaal Nathrakh is undoubtedly the new contorted face of black metal, and V.I.T.R.I.O.L is it’s spittle drenched mouthpiece.

Falling squarely in the industrial black metal category, Anaal Nathrakh have taken the glossy cybernetic mechanical sheen and butchered it, resulting in a caustic, abrasive style of black metal that is simply hateful. Whereas the Zyklon and Cadaver Inc. can be likened to a clinical, cybernetic precise killing machine, Anaal Nathrakh is a colossal corroded engine with grinding gears, massive pistons and jutting twisted barbs of steel residing in a barren wasteland of war torn wreckage. This album gave me tetanus. The apocalyptic aura is aided by a distorted, feedback-laden production that spits out psychotically robotic vocals and buzzing guitars, all to the backdrop of insanely fast-mechanized drums.

However, even thought Anaal Nathrakh are clearly one of the new spawn of black metal, the riff and song structures do have one foot firmly planted in the icy northern mountain scapes of there pagan Scandinavian ancestors. The simple, yet driving riff of the relentless opening track “The Supreme Necrotic Audnance,” certainly conjures up misty images of Mayhem, Emperor and Darkthrone, but they’ve mutated it into a biomechanical platform of spiteful futuristic music. This feel is no more evident than on standout track, “When Human is a Cancer,” that starts with a huge pounding mechanical riff then tears into some traditional yet oxidized black metal. There are few more “experimental” moments on this album, like “Paradigm Shift-Annihilation”, the inserted electric drumbeat is foreboding and ominous, rather than come across campy and “spacey” like …And Oceans. These industrial interludes are far more menacing, due to the rest of the cut n’ thrust black metal being suitably twisted and scathing, so the elements blend, rather than just mixed in as an effort to seem progressive.

This album is not for the faint-hearted; it is as venomous, hate-filled release as I have heard. It has it moments that, mainly due to the programmed drums, reminded me of The Berzerker. But whereas as the Berzerker has its moments of controlled plodding industrial experimentation, Anaal Nathrakh absolutely do not let up. Their more controlled moments like “Incipid Flock” reseamble futuristic smouldering war machines crushing bones under their tracks. Even the solos are played with a chaotic abandon, feeling like a cyborg that’s blown a fuse and gone out of control.

This album shreds through forty-six minutes of merciless, malignant and virulent music. However, that might also be the one small pitfall of this album – the listener has no chance to catch his/her breath. I had a hard time listening to the full album in one listening due to its sheer intense malice. If the current black metal trend is your style, this is for you, but be warned. This is not shiny methodical industrial black metal. It’s chaotic, disturbing and malignant and quite possibly a classic album from a band that’s is only two years old. It’s scary what Anaal Nathrakh might accomplish with time. Even if you don’t like the genre, buy this album to say you own it, also it should be handy for scaring of unwanted visitors. Plus, you never know if the big one does ever drop, you have a suitable album to witness the end of the world with.

For once, I actually agree with the blurb on the promo material: this is indeed the soundtrack for Armageddon.