review: Anaal Nathrakh -- cybernetic black metal

Anaal Nathrakh

Endarkenment

Metal Blade Records

2 October 2020

The new work by the drum machine blasting extreme metal duo fulfills the basic re-quirements for the fans: chaotic, jarring industrial hyper speed black metal. In other words, AN is still superfast and harsh, a cyborg-robotic-alien force of furious steroid road rage, as usual. To be honest, for people that listen to extreme stuff a lot every day, the speed and chaos is cool and all, but it’s not in and of itself particularly exciting, given that many bands play fast in grind, death and black. If that were all that AN had to offer, it would be good and interesting, but it would not answer the question as to whether this album actually has good songs. Once the listener gets past all the bells and whistles of the extremity, one finds that the guitar riffs, especially when they are thrash/ black-based, are catchy. Fortunately, there are lots of those riffs to be heard throughout. In addition, there are lots of parts with melodic singing that make the songs fun. The extreme vocals go the distance with maniacal screaming until blue in the face (it’s not monotonous, burped death growling that is so boring!) and the melodic singing works well as an entertaining contrast. Logically, this does not sound like an experiment. This is their eleventh album and they started around 1999. The chaotic, blasting sound is their brand, and they manage to make it organized, tight and purposeful. Will people believe just how much melody is to be found on here?! [Metal Bulletin Zine]

Endarkenment by Anaal Nathrakh