Anaal Nathrakh - Passion
Candlelight
Black Metal/Grindcore
10 songs (36:05)
Release year: 2011
Anaal Nathrakh, Candlelight
Reviewed by Jaime
Although you may not want to use such a word for a band like Anaal Nathrakh their past few albums since Eschaton have been a bit... predictable. Not that the formula they apply doesn't work, but the twists along the way have been minor at best and they've been straddling the line of sameyness and familiarity with each progressive album. Does Passion break the cycle, even slightly?

Well there are a few obvious tracks that'll stand out for their back catalogue, specifically the harrowing Tod Huetet Uebel featuring Rainer Landfermann of Bethlehem on vocals with his unholy, atonal screech somehow making Anaal Nathrakh even more unsettling than usual (some of those high shrieks are horrific). The change from Dave Hunt's clean singing and Cerberus snap help the track stand out from the rest that's on show but it's not alone in being off the band's beaten path. Drug-Fucking Abomination is their "epic" song, clocking in at over 7 minutes and basically stretching the intensity and horrible, grotty atmosphere that swirls around them to the limit by giving the whole thing room to breathe and swirl about in your ears. Considering that they're mostly known for their short, condensed nut punches the appearance of something that's slightly more brooding, dare I say patient, details the fact that Anaal Nathrakh are sinister bastards. Ashes Screaming Silence also stood out as it relied less on the rapid fire tremolo of songs gone by and more on a weighty, plodding march that infects most of the track before going all grindy, in one of a few nods to their early days that the short and explosive Post Traumatic Stress Euphoria and Locus of Damnation also drag out from the grave.

There are a few niggles as you may expect. That last track is pure filler even if it does appeal to the Akira Yamaoka fanboy in me, and there still are a few tracks that could have just have easily been taken from their last three albums (I'm looking at you Paragon Pariah). While they aren't bad, methinks that they need to slow down on producing albums to try and move away that section of their back catalogue. Passion shows them beginning to stride forwards in the songs I mentions above, but they have gotten to the point where they could produce album after album of the same thing and it weakens the overall effect of the band. Since 2006 they've put out four albums, and have maybe oversaturated themselves with that sound. Also, it's time for real drums guys. There's no excuse when you're touring fairly often and using the damned things live.

That aside, it's a good album, and shows that they can move beyond the previous trio musically while still maintaining that grim and horrible core that makes Anaal Nathrakh Anaal Nathrakh. Just take an extra year or so between the next one eh?
Killing Songs :
Drug-Fucking Abomination, Lotus of Damnation, Tod Huetet Uebel, Ashes Screaming Silence
Jaime quoted 83 / 100
Other albums by Anaal Nathrakh that we have reviewed:
Anaal Nathrakh - Endarkenment reviewed by Goat and quoted 70 / 100
Anaal Nathrakh - A New Kind of Horror reviewed by Goat and quoted 65 / 100
Anaal Nathrakh - Total Fucking Necro reviewed by Goat and quoted no quote
Anaal Nathrakh - Desideratum reviewed by Goat and quoted 60 / 100
Anaal Nathrakh - Vanitas reviewed by Jaime and quoted 68 / 100
To see all 10 reviews click here
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