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Premiere: Abazagorath - "Mahound"

There aren’t many black metal bands in the US that picked it up as early or have been at it as long as New Jersey’s Abazagorath. Formed in ’95, Abazagorath has been around for nearly 20 years, a period of time that probably eclipses the age of some reading this post. Over those years, though, the band has only put out two full-lengths amongst a collection of EPs and demos. “Mahound,” above, is the opener of Abazagorath’s third proper album, The Satanic Verses, which will arrive in October, a full ten years after their last.

Abazagorath isn’t here to rewrite the book, neither that of the genre nor their own. The band sticks to a formula of gritty riffs, well-timed solos and a light smattering of synths used both for ambiance and emphasis. Don’t let the synth thing fool you—it’s not pretty, and on “Mahound” the lo-fi quality and throaty vocals give the song a grimy, phlegm-soaked feel. The thrashy approach evokes a stance of aggression, fitting for a band that has made good old-fashioned Satanism a key part of its identity. Nearly twenty years on, Abazagorath kicks and punches with fury.

The Satanic Verses is out on October 7 on Eternal Death Records and it’s available for preorder now.

— Wyatt Marshall