Anaal Nathrakh: The Whole of the Law

I've you've been searching for the perfect soundtrack to scare the shit out of everyone in your household as well as frighten your neighbors, look no further than the latest release from veteran UK duo Anaal Nathrakh, The Whole of the Law. Mick Kenney (guitars/bass/programming) and David Hunt aka V.I.T.R.I.O.L (vocals) once again have put together a platter of violent mayhem here that combines brutal black metal with industrial, death metal, and film score symphonies, resulting in one of 2016's more unsettling listening experiences. Honestly, this is not music for everyone, the bands over the top delivery a lot to take in even for the loyal extreme metal fan. Hunt's maniacal vocal attack is as harsh as ever, his mix of hellish rasps, screams, bellows, growls, and King Diamond styled howling is enough to give you nightmares, and a headache to go along with it. The production of The Whole of the Law doesn't help matters, with everything cranked up beyond belief it results in one of the loudest albums on record, a listening experience so harsh and painful you'll be running for shelter. There is NO subtlety here whatsoever, just full on brutality. Sure, the duo try to temper the violence by adding some nice symphonic bits in spots, which can give a grandiose feel to some of the arrangements (especially in "In Flagrante Delicto" for instance), but for the most part you can expect a cacophony of noise, punctuated by relentless blast beats, Hunt's schizophrenic ramblings, and pounding guitar work. Even when all this really works, as on "Extravaganza!", "Hold Your Children Close and Pray for Oblivion", and "On Being a Slave", you might not be convinced that you really want to explore this album again and subject yourself to this nightmarish descent into hell.

I think I need a shower after this one...

Track Listing

1. The Nameless Dread
2. Depravity Favours the Bold
3. Hold Your Children Close and Pray for Oblivion
4. We Will Fucking Kill You
5. ...So We Can Die Happy
6. In Flagrante Delicto
7. And You Will Beg for Our Secrets
8. Extravaganza!
9. On Being a Slave
10. The Great Spectator
11. Of Horror, and the Black Shawls
12. Powerslave (Bonus Track)
13. Man at C&A (Bonus Track)

Added: November 26th 2016
Reviewer: Pete Pardo
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 1839
Language: english

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