Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton
Over time, Anaal Nathrakh’s sound hasn’t changed that much. The template now is much the same as before – relentless industrial black metal with occasional electronics, wall-of-sound production, ridiculous song titles, and an obsession with the apocalypse (“eschaton” means “end times” or “last things”).
However, this album (on Season of Mist) brings out melodic elements its predecessors only hinted at. The two main developments are clean singing and more memorable riffs. The clean singing seems to have polarized people, and it took me a while to adjust to it, too. But clean vocals are hardly anything new in black metal, and while these aren’t particularly thrilling nor abysmal, they do make the songs catchier. The atmosphere is still apocalyptic, and the production is still Ministry-esque. But for the first time, I can pick out individual songs all the way through an AN album. Those turned off by the relentlessness of before might find some ways into this record.
Anaal Nathrakh – The Yellow KingAnaal Nathrakh – When the Lion Devours Both Dragon and Child
Mick Kenney turns in atypically boring artwork (tomato and carrot juice reds and oranges, no lyrics, played out fractals), but overall I find this album loud and obnoxious in a good way. You can get it at Moribund Cult or Very.
