Ah as if 2020 couldn’t get anymore bleak or hopeless, here come the masters of nihilistic brutality – Birmingham’s Anaal Nathrakh with their new album Endarkenment. Straight off the bat I will tell you this is one seriously good album.
I expected the brutality, Dave Hunt‘s signature shrieking, and a whole heap of telling us the world is a cesspit of hopelessness. But the extended melodic side to Endarkenment really elevates this album to new heights. The clean singing parts are always haunting in their delivery. Perfectly fitting to the albums feel. The melodies add to the haunting feel, adding a new dimension. It could have easily turned this into a melodeth album, but this most certainly is not. This is still extreme death metal at its finest.
When the chorus’ slow down – like on Create Art, Though the World May Perish, it does nothing to take away from the relentless march of the album. Expertly done. A song called Libidinous (a Pig with Cocks in its Eyes) is on it’s own brilliant. Then add in the piercing King Diamond-esque falsetto wailing just adds the cherry on top. Read the lyrics and you will not be disappointed.
Singularity ends with a beautiful tremolo picked melodic pattern, finishing with a blood curdling screech. As if deliberately taking something beautiful and sharply ending it. Following up with Punish Them which is savagely ferocious start to finish just adds to the albums feel as a whole gelling so perfectly.
Honestly, there is not a better album to sum up the year 2020, and we’re all the better for it. When bands take a new turn, things can go horribly wrong (see my post here), but Anaal Nathrakh have expertly fused in the increased melodic patterns, without taking anything away from their signature hauntingly merciless sound. I somehow feel better about the world listening to this album, and you will too.
Check out other album reviews here.
Find Endarkenment on all your favourite streaming services, or purchase from Metal Blade Records.
