CoC : Anaal Nathrakh - Total Fucking Necro : Review

Anaal Nathrakh - _Total Fucking Necro_
(Leviaphonic Records, 2000)
by: Pedro Azevedo (8 out of 10)

Having reviewed their self-titled demo in CoC #43, I was very pleased to receive this new CD from Anaal-Nathrakh -- and this time I knew what to expect: very harsh and destructive black metal delivered with outstanding brutality and intensity. (How ironic that the package in which they sent me the CD had more "very fragile" warnings written all over it than I can remember ever seeing before.) This CD contains five new songs and their first demo, all recorded with very raw but effective production -- except for the very nasty, but fortunately brief, sound glitches near the end of the opening track. The thing with Anaal-Nathrakh still is that they can mix very unusual amounts of venomous fury with a strange kind of catchiness that emerges from their wall of sound. The opener "The Supreme Necrotic Audnance" is one devastating, unrelenting track. The doomier overtones of "Satanarchist", featuring almost _Bergtatt_ era Ulver-like slow and sad bass lines, complete an excellent opening duo. Note that this is nothing like _Bergtatt_'s superb atmosphere or even sound style, though; _TFN_ is far more destructive and has no focus on atmosphere. The following two tracks keep up the aggression, even if somewhat less remarkably, before a cover of Mayhem's "De Mysteriis dom Sathanas" closes the first section of the CD -- and a good cover it is, imbued with AN's own style. Their first demo then follows, its sound quality slightly inferior but acceptable and the music equally enjoyable. This may not be such a jewel hidden beneath misanthropic production as Ulver's _Nattens Madrigal_, but for five pounds or nine US$ from Golden Lake Distribution, this 45 minute long onslaught should definitely be a treat for anyone into very harsh, grim and powerful black metal to whom a raw but adequate production isn't a problem (otherwise you can basically ignore the 8 out of 10 rating above).

Contact: crushfuk@fuckyou.co.uk

(article published 12/8/2000)

CHATS
4/12/2002	P Azevedo	Anaal Nathrakh: The Heart of Necro
10/25/2000	P Azevedo	Anaal Nathrakh: Necro Lives

ALBUMS
8/12/2015	D Lake	8	Anaal Nathrakh - Desideratum
12/29/2012	A El Naby	7.5	Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas
6/15/2009	J Smit	8	Anaal Nathrakh - In the Constellation of the Black Widow
10/14/2006	J Smit	8.5	Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton
11/29/2004	P Azevedo	8	Anaal Nathrakh - Domine Non Es Dignus
5/29/2003	P Azevedo	8.5	Anaal Nathrakh - When Fire Rains Down From the Sky, Mankind Will Reap as it Has Sown
1/14/2002	P Azevedo	9	Anaal Nathrakh - The Codex Necro

DEMOS
10/12/1999	P Azevedo	4	Anaal Nathrakh - Anaal Nathrakh