Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment

Key Facts 

Country: 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Genre: Industrial Black Metal/Grindcore

Release Date: 2nd October 2020

Record Label(s): Metal Blade Records

Band Members

Irrumator - Guitars, Bass, Programming 

V.I.T.R.I.O.L. - Vocals 

Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment

Review

Rating (out of 5🤘): 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Favourite Track(s): Endarkenment, Libidinous (A Pig with Cocks in Its Eyes), Create Art, Though the World May Perish, Punish Them, Requiem 

Unfortunately, I must admit I am very new to Anaal Nathrakh, besides hearing notable songs like Forward! and Hold Your Children Close And Pray For Oblivion, I am going into this with absolutely no prior knowledge. Considering they're staples in English Black Metal, I am amazed it has taken me this long to look into them in depth. They have an incredibly interesting sound, fusing elements from grindcore, black metal, death metal and industrial to create an onslaught of blast beats, mind bending riffs and symphonic vocals into a very distinct and unique package. It is fair to say, my mind, body and should were not prepared for what hit it...

Musically, it will sound like frantic cacophony to many, but the chaos unleashed upon my unsuspecting mind is something that it seemingly longed for. The first think I learnt about the band is that they didn't publish lyrics. I fully support the decision in not publishing lyrics so they have to be listened to in context and not warped by public media, however some of the lyrical lines that I have heard have been awesome, especially the German lines sung under the English lines in Libidinous (A Pig with Cocks in Its Eyes), it adds a very rich and full vocal texture as well as being completely off the wall as it is not something you're usually exposed to. This lyrical deciphering really adds to the enigmatic aura that the band's music possess, creating this unique and interesting atmosphere that keeps you on edge of your seat. The album's unpredictability really appeals to me, even on multiple listens it still felt like I hadn't actually heard half of it the first time round. The seemingly constant switch and variation of harsh, black metal vocals to clean, operatic vocals over an eclectic set of riffs, synths and rhythms will have you engaged for an endless amount of time trying to decipher what that hell is going on. There is a real mixture of emotions that regularly circulate whilst you listen, the more triumphant and epic choruses have you feeling strong and powerful, whilst the more aggressive sections will have you thrashing around ready to give in to your moshing rampage demon. Despite all this, I feel that there is a serious message behind it all that is left for the listener to interpret. For me, with the back drop of insane riffs and scoring theatric atmospheres it is asking me to try and make sense of my own chaos and the chaos around me. The album feels like a symphonic suite more than a metal album, as it each song effortlessly connects with the one previous. Each "movement" so to speak is a different path in the same story. This complexity and attention to detail is something I truly admire, as Anaal Nathrakh have absolutely decimated all competition with this one. The soundscapes underneath the riffs add this continuously evolving, rich and diverse grandness to the album and from what I have gathered it is a step in the right direction for the continuation of the band's continually unique sound signature. The construction of the melodies and hooks are phenomenal from my perspective and shows the band's experience of writing such gritty yet catchy songs, over a career in spanning two decades. Overall, this rich and enigmatic album is a reflection on the bands creative relentlessness and is definitely a highlight of 2020. 

The production is an onslaught of layers and tones that build this grand and illustrious wall of sound. With guitars, drums and vocals unleashing chaos all over the album, the mix is amazingly precise and clean. The rhythm guitar tones are thick and fuzzing with a relentless energy, contrasting the more valve-y sounding, clear lead tones with notes that brightly ring out in the abyss. The kick thunders underneath the vast sonic expanse of the mix, the click standing out and driving the music forward mercilessly. The snare has a bit of a dull snap for me, I'd have preferred it to cut through a bit more but thats my personal preference. The cymbals seem to blend in with the guitars creating this interesting cut through the mix. My personal highlight has to go to the vocal layering, some are more subtle than others but they move around the mix as if you have multiple people talking in your head. The transition between the harsh and clean vocals is so smooth it blends into one and you can't hear any major difference apart from the vocal style. Overall the mix is incredible and exciting, keeping me on the edge of my seat as much as the music. 

If you fancy experiencing the sonic storm of creative genius that is Anaal Nathrakh, then this is the album for you! I'm going to have the choruses stuck in my head for weeks to come.

Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment