Annihilation Rite - World Below

Labels: Satanath Records

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 28 Apr 2022

Tracklist:

1. Shrine Of Obscurity

2. The Abyss

3. Damnation Crowns

4. World Below

Sometimes, writing about a band in their infancy can be challenging. Annihilation Rite is a case in point, as the German solo-project is described as an industrial black metal band on social media or a death/doom band if Metal Archives is accurate. Genre specifics within extreme metal aren't that important I know, but sometimes a bit of guidance helps. Anyway, World Below is Annihilation Rite's debut full-length and was released on limited cd/digital via Georgian label Satanath Records in April of this year. The band's sole creator Entweider features (and has featured) in many other bands, including Sinister Downfall (Funere Records), Donarhall (Symbol Of Domination Productions) and Necrochaos (Godz Ov War Productions) amongst others. 

So is World Below industrial black metal or death/doom? On hearing album opener ‘Shrine Of Obscurity’ there’s definitely a heavy death/doom sound. Slow tempos, mournful instrumentation and hellish (almost gargled) vocals that lean more towards funeral doom. It’s mesmeric and atmospheric, without any of the coldness of industrial black metal (to these ears anyway). With all things considered, both Annihilation Rite and World Below sound great so far. 

One thing that’s immediately obvious about this album is that all four of it’s songs reach well over the nine minute mark. After the gloomy, crawling opener, ‘The Abyss’ begins in raucous fashion with a mix of death and black metal musicianship. I guess this must be where the industrial element comes in, but I’m still not entirely hearing it, aside from the subtle use of electronics that you can hear more vividly before the vocals kick in. When they do, the pace slows once again. The way that Annihilation Rite weaves different extreme metal elements together makes it much harder to pin down, but the band’s slower sections really make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

‘Damnation Crowns’ is a prime example of what I’ve just said with bucket loads of truly engrossing guitar work and extended build-ups. When Annihilation Rite hits full stride after the three minute mark, there’s no place of safety. The masterful arrangements, skilled musicianship and professional recoding/mixing help it stand out, especially for a debut release!

Closing with the title-track ‘World Below’, there’s an ominous feel to the music that’s seemingly magnified somewhat. I’m not sure this song is any different to the three that came before it but there just seems to be something slightly different about it. Maybe it’s the lumbering pace (that’s similar to the opener), but whatever it is, it’s glorious in a dark way. I for one really enjoy how different bands/projects interpret slower music. 

I’ve always considered German bands to be more industrial in tone, yet Annihilation Rite don’t have that feel. Instead, there’s an odd feeling of warmth emanating from the speakers that may take you by surprise. I hope to hear more from this band in future, as this debut has really hit the spot.

You can stream and purchase World Below digitally from Annihilation Rite here:-

Annihilation Rite - https://www.facebook.com/annihilationrite

Physical copies can be purchased from Satanath Records here - http://satanath.com/shop.html.

Satanath Records/GrimmDistribution - https://www.facebook.com/grimmdistribution

Atra Haeresis - Pretium

Labels: Death Portal Studio/Kryrart Records/Satanath Records/Void Wanderer Productions

Formats: CD/TapeDigital

Release Date: 26 Aug 2021

Tracklist:

1. Hatechrist

2. Man Through Epochs

3. Vaunted Dyer

4. The Sacred Games

5. Pretium?

6. Aendor Witch

2021 was the year in which Russian/Belarussian melodic black/death metal quartet Atra Haeresis released their debut album Pretium. It saw the light of day last August on CD, tape and digital formats via Death Portal Studio (USA), Kryrart Records (Germany), Satanath Records (Russia) and Void Wanderer Productions (Netherlands). I've read some really positive things about Atra Haeresis recently, so this should be a lot of fun!

It’s blowing an absolute gale outside this evening, as a storm’s hit us. As much I like the sound of the wind outside, I also like to drown it out on occasion with metal and this evening I have the company of death/black metal band Atra Haeresis and their 2021 album Pretium. The sound on opener ‘Hatechrist’ is a great mix of brutal and melodic death metal, with blackened tones thrown Into the mix too. The drumming stands out instantly. The bass weaves a nice low-end groove while the guitars move between riffs of up-tempo destruction and simple, catchy treble. The vocals are growled with intensity and precision, very much in a modern way. ‘Man Through Epochs’ comes at you in a much more bombastic, black metal fashion. Not symphonic but rhythmic and colder somehow. As before, the tempos are ridiculous and the lead riffs are proper earworms. There’s an atmospheric, anticipation building pause near the mid-point, where the song drops down a notch. It builds back up again though with the help of a classy guitar solo later on, ending how it began with no nonsense. 

The band’s clinical touches are more obvious on ‘Vaunted Dyer’, with it’s precise instrumentation early on with a mix of harsh vocals and almost esoteric clean chanting joining them. Sometimes, Atra Haeresis remind me of Melechesh in their delivery and that’s a plus point for sure. Obviously the black metal influence is greater here, yet it doesn’t overpower the album and Atra Haeresis still sound approachable, even for those who are yet to venture down the extreme path. Things are different on ‘The Sacred Games’ though as straight from the off there’s much more immediacy from the quartet. That immediacy is replaced by a more stripped back mid-section, with quieter dynamics and almost whispered vocals, which sound very haunting before the dial is turned up again for a rousing finish.

Penultimate song ‘Pretium?’ (Is there supposed to a question mark there?) is a modern metal classic in the making with more memorable riffs and clever melodic vocals jostling for space alongside the band’s pummelling drums and rhythmic low-end. Despite it’s shorter length, ‘Pretium?’ Is teeming with plenty of pleasing layers that make it sound much longer than it is. I’m hearing some Germanic influences here too. Album closer ‘Aendor Witch’ is the metallic, angular hymn that was always destined to conclude this release. It’s once again filled with precise hooks and fantastically solid metal. There’s a huge amount to love about this record. It’s the perfect example of why you should give unfamiliar bands a chance. Atra Haeresis have a very bright future (musically) and I for one can’t wait to hear more.

You can stream and download Pretium below:-

Atra Haeresis - https://www.facebook.com/atrahaeresis

Physical copies can be purchased from the labels below:-

Satanath Records - https://satanath.com/shop.html

Void Wanderer Productions - https://voidwanderer.com/

Death Portal Studio - https://www.facebook.com/deathportal

Kryrart Records - https://www.facebook.com/kryrartrecords

Satanath Records - https://www.facebook.com/symbolofdomination

Void Wanderer Productions - https://www.facebook.com/voidwandererprod

Helioss - Devenir Le Soleil

Labels: Mourning Light Records/Satanath Records

Formats: CD/Digital

Release Date: 23 Apr 2020

Tracklist:

1. ...Et Dieu Se Tut

2. A Wall Of Certainty

3. The End Of The Empire

4. Let The World Forget Me

5. Singularity

6. An Endless Stream

7. La Lepre Des Hommes

8. Devenir Le Soleil

9. Now...Shine!

One thing I'm really fascinated with is how bands and labels strike up relationships that lead them to collaborating on releases. Helioss are a case in point. The French symphonic black/death metal band released their fourth full-length Devenir Le Soleil via Russian label Satanath Records and UK label Mourning Light Records in April. I heard about this releasee through my contact with Satanath Records, hence this review. The CD has been limited to 500 copies worldwide and the album is also available digitally. 

There are so many images that could be conjured up when staring at the artwork that adorns Devenir Le Soleil. Musically, you might think this album is made up of progressive/shoegaze-like black metal or doom but you’d be a bit wide of the mark if you did. Helioss delivers a rabidly infectious take on symphonic black/death metal with album opener ‘…Et Dieu Se Tut’, which is made more engrossing by the French lyrics and the relentless drumming, which has been programmed excellently. 

Not all of their songs are delivered on French, as ‘A Wall Of Certainty’ demonstrates. It’s filled to the brim with industrial tempos and technical guitar work that fights with the bursts of melodic synths to keep you guessing as to exactly what genre or sub-genre this duo fits into. Thankfully there are plenty well-placed tempo changes that don’t allow you to pigeonhole Helioss. Each one of their full-length’s have been getting longer but that’s fine given the quality of their instrumentation. ’The End Of The Empire’ seems to pick up where ‘A Wall Of Certainty’ left off with cracking lead-work and lower than low vocal growls. When they slow things down, those growls are replaced by higher-pitched screams/shrieks and plenty of atmosphere, even if in short bursts. The pace is so frenetic that it’s hard to keep up.

The melancholic ‘Let The World Forget Me’ is the song that bridges the gap towards both doom and more accessible metal, oddly. That’s not to say that this is accessible. It just has something about it that seems strangely comforting and familiar for some reason. Following on is the somewhat brief number ’Singularity’. It only seems brief because it just about breaches the three-minute mark. It makes up for that though with musical influences that range from industrial music (once again), to traditional strings and virtuoso guitar work. I could name bands that follow those three parts but that would be cheating.

Helioss returns to more familiar pastures on ‘An Endless Stream’ and it’s artistically driven piano seems to lord over the music, at least during the opening two-and-a-half minutes anyway. What follows it is another extremely engaging tome of melody and up-tempo black/death metal that’s hard to ignore. ‘La Lepre Des Hommes’ is very much a more avant-garde proposition with an intro of organ melodies and choral chanting before Helioss launches into a mid-paced progressive beast of a song. It regains it’s trademark pace towards the end to help keep the heart racing.

It’s only right that the penultimate song should be a twenty-four minute mammoth and it just so happens to be the title-track ‘Devenir Le Soleil’. If you were thinking it would be slow to build then you were wrong, as it continues the albums wild trajectory. It’s the first song on the album that contains melodic vocals. At least, they’re the first I’ve heard here and I could be wrong. It’s so easy to become mesmerised by it all. The term ‘progressive’ does get thrown around a lot but this song epitomises the term in my opinion. 

It almost seems pointless following that title-track but Helioss decides to do it anyway with album closer ‘Now…Shine!’. From the ridiculous comes the sublime with an instrumental post-metal/doom/death song that rounds things out perfectly. I was in no way expecting Devenir Le Soleil to be this good but I guess should stop expecting the unexpected. This is phenomenal from beginning to end. Chances are this will have passed you by so far this year but now is the time to remedy that.

You can stream and purchase Devenir Le Soleil on CD or digitally below:-

Helioss - https://www.facebook.com/Heliossband/

It's also available for purchase via the below links:-

Mourning Light Records - https://mourninglightrecords.bandcamp.com/merch

Satanath Records - http://satanath.com/shop.html

Mourning Light Records - https://www.facebook.com/MourningLightRecords/

Satanath Records - https://www.facebook.com/satanath666/