When ‘The Codex Necro’ dropped in 2001 the raw blistering bludgeoning Anaal Nathrakh served up was by far a more severe punishment than any other band had delivered. The venom and scorn poured from the speakers and a new standard in extreme music was set. At album number seven you’d think that this Brummie pair would have reigned in some of the malicious spite that made the debut such a menacing concern. Yes the song writing is tighter, the production clearer but by no means clean, and, thankfully, all that spit and shit is still intact.

There are moments of subtlety to be found within the hellish noise though, and the clean singing has taken a more operatic turn (just listen to final track A Metaphor For The Dead for it’s near Muse meets Emperor stylings, with even a hint of metalcore). This is of course the “come down” track, the get you breath back and re-familiarise yourself with your surroundings song, and by fuck it’s needed after the previous nine onslaughts.

There is one thing missing from this album though, and that’s the incredible cover of the Specials’ ‘Man At C&A’ that appeared as a flexi disc on the cover of Decibel magazine. Had that been part of the track listing then there would be little doubt that ‘Vanitas’ would have scored a solid ten, as it is absent then that perfect score slips just a little.

(9/10 Alex Boniwell)

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