Released by: Metal Blade Records
Release Date: Out Now!!!
Genre: Extreme Metal
Links: https://www.facebook.com/Anaalnathrakhofficial
Line Up:
Mick Kenney
David Hunt AKA V.I.T.R.I.O.L
Tracklist:
Acheronta Movebimus
Unleash
Monstrum In Animo
The One Thing Needful
A Firm Foundation of Unyielding Despair
Desideratum
Idol
Sub Specie Aeterni (Of Maggots, And Humanity)
The Joystream
Rage and Red
Ita Mori
Anaal Nathrakh, taken from a spell in the 1981 John Boorman film Merlin, is a pretty intense, predominantly studio oriented extreme metal band that mixes bits of black, death, grind, and industrial to their unique sound. Formed in 1998, the band has put out several albums, paving a new path for extreme metal with the interesting combination of styles. Over the last couple of years I have familiarized myself with their music somewhat via their classic albums The Codex Necro, Eschaton, and Hell Is Empty and All the Devils Are Here, and though I am not as well versed in their music as I would like I have come to appreciate what they do.
Releasing their first album since signing to Metal Blade, Desideratum, the band live up to their history and have presented their new label one of the best albums of their career. This is such a bold and in your face album melding bits of classic black metal with pummeling blast beat drums and psychotic industrial leanings. Within this aggression are some powerful riffs from mutli-instrumentalist Mick Kinney and even within the growls of vocalist Dave Hunt and the combined intensity is a passion and emotion not often found in this style of music. With tracks like “Monstrum In Animo,” “Unleash,” “Idol,” “The Joy Stream,” and “Desideratum” you get an excellent selection of songs that demonstrate the diversity of this band.
Anaal Nathrakh’s Desideratum isn’t for everybody, but extreme metal fans that like a different take on some styles of metal that have a bad tendency to be bland this is a great album to check out. It’s brutally heavy yet is nuanced enough where it keeps you interested in what’s going on.
Written by Chris Martin
Ratings Chris 8/10
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