Azaghal - Nemesis
When I saw the Moribund Cult label on this release, I knew that this was going to be some sick ass shit. It is. Azaghal has been at this a long time (since 1995) and this is their third release on Moribund, their ninth album overall. Nemesis kind of reminds me of Dissection at times, particularly where the guitar-work is concerned. It isn’t The Somberlain, but it does kick ass in all the right places. I like that the guitars are front and center with the percussion in the background. The bass isn’t audible but I think the guitar harmonics work better if the six-strings are overpowering. Though the whole album is solid, my favorite tracks are from the second half. The faster, more chaotic stuff comes first, with the more atmospheric and melodic songs saved for later. My favorite track on Nemesis has to be “Ex Nihilo.” It just fucking sounds evil. The riffing is slower and heavier compared to the other songs, but it’s the atmosphere that I really like. Azaghal uses some zoned-out clean vocals, some backwards shit and other effects to inject additional darkness into the track. “Black Legions of Satan” and the title track, “Nemesis,” are tied for second place. “Black Legions of Satan” has a strong hook and an almost Black Heavy Metal feel to it. It’s one that is sure to go over well live because it gets your head banging right away. “Nemesis,” likewise, has a powerful hook and possesses a strong, Bathory-esque “epic” atmosphere, but with a Black Metal sound. This is definitely an album I recommend. The only detraction that I had isn’t even that significant. I would have arranged the tracks in a different order so that things build up to “Ex Nihilo” instead of having that song in the middle of the album. The track is so different from the previous four songs that it’s placement kind of throws you. That’s only a 0.25 point deduction, though. This album is still well worth purchasing and I recommend that folks check it out.
(1) Comment(s)
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Stormbreaker said:
Great band, great album!
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