Label: Metal Blade Records
Date: October 2nd, 2020
So, should we publish the uncensored artwork? And if we do, will we get a ton of hate mail from various animal rights activists? Or some sexually ambiguous purists? Who cares!? Here it is, in all its glory! A pig with cocks in its eyes! Parental advisory: any incoming hunger for pork chops or sexual inquisitiveness on behalf of your children should be treated as a normal person should. This is not a pretty world and your child should learn and accept that lesson as soon as possible.
When it comes to music, the aces of genre disfiguration and mash-ups are back with their 11th full length record. Dr. Frankenstein had his hands full once again with creating another hellishly diverse musical entity, that is “Endarkenment”. Black metal as a foundation, brutalized by grinding hard core with melodic death metal upsets, laden with Cradle of Filth like atmosphere and “Iron Maiden-ish” monumentality. As a cherry on top of a rotten icing of a worm-infested cake, there is this unmistakable King Diamond influence on “Libidinous”.
Am I making myself clear on this? Nor should I! If you’ve listened to Anaal Nathrakh before, this will come as no surprise to you. If not and you want to try, brace yourself. You’re in for a wild ride. But an enjoyable one, especially if you’re into extreme metal, since the Brits are absolute masters in combining seemingly impossible to combine aspects into an absolutely coherent whole.
Furthermore, the absence of a tangible blueprint might be a bit confusing to an inexperienced listener. So just give it time. I promise, it will all fall into place. The differing elements of Anaal Nathrakh’s creation are thoughtfully crafted and placed upon one another. To take it all in might take some time, but it is absolutely rewarding as it gives a piece of metal music’s ingenuity like it is rarely witnessed in long years of the genre. Hence, it is no wonder that Anaal Nathrakh manages to stay in as much of a spotlight as it is possible for an extreme metal band. Being signed to a major label is no nuisance either, but the quality is indisputable.
