Bordeaux based 5 piece Anaxagor started out in 2017 and they play a hard hitting brand of Thrash and Death Metal, two genres which have a lot of synergy with each other but are often difficult to mix in the right proportions. Releasing a Live in the studio EP in 2018 as a taste of what they are capable of (Only The Strongest: Live Studio Barbey), the 5 piece are now with Great Dane records and have their self-titled album out, a release which has received some high praise in certain quarters. So, with some promise being spotted by others, let us see if we here at Ave Noctum will join that list… After all, France spawned Gojira, arguably one of the biggest and best bands in metal at the moment, could we have another case like theirs on our hands?
Ok, maybe using Gojira as an example is a bit too much or too harsh, they are in a league of their own, but that was the first band I thought of when I heard the sound on the record. It is your typical tight, modern metal sound, the type which is heavy, hits like a sledgehammer and commands your attention. The guitars are fierce, the bass and drums are tight as hell and the vocals are raw and raspy, leaning more to the death metal side of things. Stylistically? Anaxagor seems to lean towards the melodic death metal influenced side of the thrash spectrum and it works rather well. The opening track “The Plague” is a prime example of the MDM influences – fast paced riffs which pound away throughout the track, piercing pedal tone sections and a tight rhythm section provides the framework for the harsh vocal snarls to work over and it fits nicely, acting as a great way to open the release.
There’s also plenty of lead theatrics across the release. From searing melodic lead lines to full on shred soloing, the guitar assault is precise and it easily switches from riffing to ripping with minimal fuss, much like in the opener “The Plague” and “Panopticon” and “Blood Lord” later in the release. “Shephard” sounds like it comes straight out of the ‘Slaughter Of The Soul’ school of songwriting. The whole track screams At The Gates as an influence and this feeling is repeated across the majority of the tracks on the release, especially in the final three.
Whilst the shredding leads, melodic death metal melodies and precise riffs are all very welcome, there is a very big feel of familiarity across the release. Whether it is just the influences of the band coming through strongly, or whether it is just the band have found an approach they favour and have just stuck with it across the entire release is subject to individual interpretation. I find that despite each track being its own unique entity, the same style of delivery on each one is a common find either in the hard hitting thrash spots or the relentless Gothenburg-sound styled riff fests. The last few tracks again are a prime example of this with both “Born To Frag” and closing number “Toxic Troll” both ending up as ‘See: rest of album’ for my notes on them – riffs, piercing lead, raw vocals, more riffs… It’s good to listen to, but in a style of music where you have bands like Testament and At The Gates leading the way with these kinds of compositional ideas, it does take a lot to stand out at times.
In all, this self titled release is a solid album musically. It hits hard, it is aggressive and it has the right amount of thrash and melodic death in it to please fans of both genres. It just lacks that spark to really catch your attention and on some listens, you will find yourself losing track of where in the release or a song you are actually up to. It’s worth a shot, and it is a sign of promise, let’s just see if their next releases find that spark to set them apart.
(7/10 Fraggle)
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