AKANTHA - Baptism In Psychical Analects
Release date January 18/19 (Bandcamp)
Self-promoted as hearkening back to some of the early second-wave of black metal heavies such as Darkthrone and Judas Iscariot, you know that you'll be in for a blistering affair even before hitting play here. Fortunately, Akantha live up to expectations, their second full length setting a ferocious pace from the start and rarely releasing its foot from the gas pedal on this blows-back-your-hair effort.
This is one of those records where the drum tempo rarely lets up, while the guitars provide riff variation switching between straight-ahead headbang and melodic references. While utterly triumphant in some parts, I gotta say that some of the tracks tend to overstay their welcome. These latter tracks would have benefited from some tightening or inclusion of additional riff ideas. That said, there is no question that this is one professionally delivered and uncompromising black metal offering that will take you back to the glory of the early 90's.
Note: Psychical = To contract or to dilate it would be to modify both the psychical evolution that fills it and the invention which is its goal.
Analects = is an ancient Chinese book composed of a collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius and his contemporaries.
I'll let you determine the meaning of the album title!
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