Antihaelix Spiral Into Infinite Darkness (Early EP Stream)
Antihaelix is a hellish hoagie, crammed with extra meat and “without” any fat or filler. Philly regionalisms aside, their new self-titled EP is very grim, conjuring thick, frosty shades of classic Norwegian black metal with a street-hardened layer of slime and grime, while the harsh vocals wail like a crazed sorcerer screaming their lungs out in the middle of a blizzard. Listen to it now with our full premiere:
…
…
The inaugural “Mass Extinction Perversions” slithers forth with a loose punk groove, as its guitars attack in a mid paced headbanging rhythm. Inverted power chords shroud the musical tapestry in a bleak haze as hyperblast drums blur this ominous number in a dizzying fog. “High Of Devine Poison” then intoxicates the listener with a depressive and evil waltz section in its opening stanzas, then injects a jolt of adrenaline with a glorious string of one-foot blast beats and rapid-fire riffs.
Homages to Mayhem and Darkthrone seem undeniable, particularly in the guitar’s cold and crunchy tone. However, Antihaelix approach the abyss with a fuller sound than its lo-fi Norwegian influences: clean bass tones compliment the spindly six-string compositions, and the drums clearly drive the aggression in a balanced bombardment of clarity and cacophony.
Featuring some of the key conspirators behind bands like Moros, the new Antihaelix tempers its cult attitude with a hardcore punk’s eye toward breakdowns, such as on the final track, “Epicurean Savagery,” which launches into a splendid mosh pit section. This fittingly “savage” track culminates in a dual-guitar melody, which features the most intricate and compelling guitar work of the entire record. The two guitar voices intertwine like dragons interlocked in a death spiral.
Antihaelix is destined to crush the cosmos with their new EP. Fans of filthy and dark black metal will be pleased in their reverence to the icons of yesteryear, while Antihaelix concoct their own special blend of blasphemy in their debut.
—The Necrosexual
…
Antihaelix releases August 6th via Putrid Hammer Conspiracies.
