| Anaal Nathrakh 'The Codex Necro' Mordgrimm records, 2001 Lord Pale: I am surprised that Moonfog missed snapping up Anaal Nathrakh (AN) as their blend of modern yet raw and cult industrialised blackmetal fits their roster perfectly. However AN hail from England a place not really reknowned for this kind of music. The Codex Necro can be closest compared to Mayhem's 'Wolves Lair Abyss' in terms of feel and vocal delivery but it also has elements of Dodhiemsgard without the psychotic insanity and disjointedness. Simplistic dirge riffs set the groove, drenched in a fuzzy production that is surprisingly clear, before blazing into a whirlwind of classic blackmetal riffing and blastbeat annihilation. The slow/fast formula works well here and is accomplished with a good degree of thought out structuring. Short samples and atmospheric interludes are abundant throughout and add a bit of spice to proceedings which never leans to far towards black or industrial thus not becoming drowned in either genre. This incorporation of the two themes is done seemlessly and creates a cold and ugly sound that sounds 100% brutal and cult. AN certainly have alot of potential to develop their sound and with such harsh extremity in these days of florid synth blackmetal they should find a place in most old school blackmetaller's hearts. So if you find yourself longing for something darker then give AN a try, high quality abrasive mayhem . Favourite Tracks - The Supreme Necrotic Audnance , When Humanity is Cancer , The Codex Necro Mark - 7.5/10 Anaal Nathrakh �Domine Non Es Dignus� Seasons of Mist, 2004 Gloon: Having only briefly associated myself with the band and predominately their stand out �The Codex Necro� release I wasn�t sure what to expect, more brutally harsh unrelenting industrial black metal or maybe an evolution into more subtle realms, it ended up being both. While �Domine..� delivers the sickness and insanity of their past works in spades there does seem to be more order to the chaos this time round and a heavier less fuzz drenched production. Vocally there are some surprises too most notably the almost Ihshan-esque squeals and sang passages in �Do Not Speak� as well as some more �experimental� attempts at singing that differ from the norm. Like many bands these days the band utilize a diverse range of styles and genres with old school thrash and death cropping up amid the blackmetal whirlpool of violence which lends more to tagging them an extreme metal band rather than any one classification. Basically fans of the band and other freaks will lap this shit up and even I, the great blackmetal detractor, found myself unwilling wooed by the power of the Nathrakh. Favourite Tracks � Don�t Speak, Procreation of the Wretched, Swallow the World Rating � 7.5/10 |
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