Anaal Nathrakh
Desideratum
(Metal Blade Records)
Too much of a good thing is rarely a good thing. That’s the unfortunate issue with Anaal Nathrakh’s eighth record. All of the elements of success are here in spades. The band’s trademark “extreme metal” sound is tighter and louder than ever; no one else really combines industrial, grindcore, black metal, and melodeath like Anaal Nathrakh does. For the new album, there are even liberal doses of groove metal added because why not? The band’s continued mantra is to bring forth a sound of the apocalypse, and with the aural insanity present in Desideratum, there’s little doubt that this is some deliciously Hellish stuff. “Unleash” is ferocious and addicting, with a guitar melody that is out-of-this-world catchy. “Idol” is one of the best songs the band has ever crafted, with a sound that conjures a musical Frankenstein created by At the Gates and Devin Townsend. The track is downright maniacal in the best way possible.
That’s ultimately what dooms the record, unfortunately. Each of these songs is mighty impressive in its own right; however, when you put everything together, two things become wildly clear: the band clearly has a well-defined songwriting approach, and they love their insanity. Admittedly, you don’t want to fix what’s not broken, but over the course of the album, the bombast becomes a bit too much to take in such a saturated dose. It doesn’t help that each song is written with a very similar formula in mind, so you know what to expect. The only musical misstep is the lifeless drums that, while impressive, are obviously done using a computer. No human could ever play this fast. It’s fun, but, like the rest of the album, it goes a bit too far for its own good.
If it feels like I’m conflicted, that’s because those really the only issues that plague a sensationally enjoyable record. “The Joystream” is pure metal bliss, with guitars that voraciously eat through different subgenres like a fat man at a buffet, and David Hunt may be one of the most versatile vocalists in all of metal. Again, check out “The Joystream” or “Idol” for the wide range of things he can do with his vocal chords. It’s mighty impressive. This far into their careers, I’m sure Anaal Nathrakh are content to carry on with what they know works, but for album number nine, I would hope they introduce a little something different. This is already fun stuff; wouldn’t it be nice if you could tell which song you were listening to a little easier?
Desideratum
(Metal Blade Records)
Too much of a good thing is rarely a good thing. That’s the unfortunate issue with Anaal Nathrakh’s eighth record. All of the elements of success are here in spades. The band’s trademark “extreme metal” sound is tighter and louder than ever; no one else really combines industrial, grindcore, black metal, and melodeath like Anaal Nathrakh does. For the new album, there are even liberal doses of groove metal added because why not? The band’s continued mantra is to bring forth a sound of the apocalypse, and with the aural insanity present in Desideratum, there’s little doubt that this is some deliciously Hellish stuff. “Unleash” is ferocious and addicting, with a guitar melody that is out-of-this-world catchy. “Idol” is one of the best songs the band has ever crafted, with a sound that conjures a musical Frankenstein created by At the Gates and Devin Townsend. The track is downright maniacal in the best way possible.
That’s ultimately what dooms the record, unfortunately. Each of these songs is mighty impressive in its own right; however, when you put everything together, two things become wildly clear: the band clearly has a well-defined songwriting approach, and they love their insanity. Admittedly, you don’t want to fix what’s not broken, but over the course of the album, the bombast becomes a bit too much to take in such a saturated dose. It doesn’t help that each song is written with a very similar formula in mind, so you know what to expect. The only musical misstep is the lifeless drums that, while impressive, are obviously done using a computer. No human could ever play this fast. It’s fun, but, like the rest of the album, it goes a bit too far for its own good.
If it feels like I’m conflicted, that’s because those really the only issues that plague a sensationally enjoyable record. “The Joystream” is pure metal bliss, with guitars that voraciously eat through different subgenres like a fat man at a buffet, and David Hunt may be one of the most versatile vocalists in all of metal. Again, check out “The Joystream” or “Idol” for the wide range of things he can do with his vocal chords. It’s mighty impressive. This far into their careers, I’m sure Anaal Nathrakh are content to carry on with what they know works, but for album number nine, I would hope they introduce a little something different. This is already fun stuff; wouldn’t it be nice if you could tell which song you were listening to a little easier?
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