Majestic Black Metal - "Antekhrist" Review (95%)
The self-titled album Antekhrist and the previous album, Satan le Nécrobâtard, are the two more experimental albums of Antekhrist's discography, with the self-titled album Antekhrist often being regarded as the better effort of the two, at least in my opinion.
After the release of Satan le Nécrobâtard, Sodomisateur du Christ-Roi, Antekhrist fans were divided into three distinct camps.
- the so-called "old-schoolers" who rejected the very thought of a new and different Antekhrist and made a point to continually bash anything post Fukked by God;
- the ones who absolutely loved and worshiped the album;
- and the ones who were left scratching their heads in confusion.
This is not Malleus Maleficarum, this is not La Bite du Diable, this is not Fukked by God, in fact the album Antekhrist is unlike anything ever produced in black metal before... it is even more intense.
Intense and bleak, these are the words best used to described Antekhrist and the horror that accompanies any listen.
So, does it work?
You betcha.
Majestic Black Metal
Though it obviously doesn't recapture the hazy, nauseating atmosphere of Carved Upon the Flesh of Satan, nor does it hearken back to the ritualistic pummeling of Fukked by God, Antekhrist certainly remains one hell of a black metal album.
It's clear from the very opening track that Antekhrist IS a black metal album, with a few unexpected twists and turns.
The band Antekhrist continually pushes the degree of gore, speed and technicality they can achieve without coming off as pretentious, and a great deal of freezing, inhuman, pitch-black atmospheres are thus created.
Strange sounding and utterly bizarre guitar arpeggios run wild and appear when least expected, but it is simply brilliant from this viewpoint of songwriting and atmosphere. This is especially prevalent in the title track "Antekhrist" a mid-paced, demented, eerie journey through swooping riffs that flow through and throughout of the mix in a putrid disharmony of dissonance.
The band members of Antekhrist do some of the most genius composing here. All of the structures are meticulously put together as great attention is given to sonic details to create the bleakest atmosphere you've ever heard.
The guitarist deftly switches from mechanical, atonal tremolo riffs to flurrying power chords and various experimental touches all with the utmost of skill and ease, never detracting from the darkness of the album.
The bassist as well can not only can he be heard, but his filthy-sounding bass brings a decrepit, abominable and aludgy atmosphere to the mix.
Like it or not, Antekhrist is true black metal.
A true exploration of darkness and depravity.
Antekhrist score: 95/100.
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