ALBUM REVIEW: Malice Of Antiquity – Astrophobos
It’s impossible to argue that, despite black metal’s worldwide popularity in heavy music, there is one country that will forever be linked to the genre: Norway. Spawning one of the most iconic geographic, genre-focused scenes in the history of heavy music, Norway gave birth to the style we associate with black metal today, expanding on the templates set by the early Germanic thrash scene, VENOM and BATHORY. However, while Norway enjoyed the black metal spotlight, their neighbours to the east developed a black metal scene of their own – often over-looked, but equally important. A modern day force in the Swedish black metal scene, Stockholm’s ASTROPHOBOS return, five years after their debut, with Malice Of Antiquity.
The Swedish black metal scene is something to behold. Despite being overshadowed both by the neighbouring Norwegian black metal scene and the iconic death metal scene at home, purveyors of the distinctively Swedish brand of black metal have created a sub-sub-genre that is crammed with quality. The likes of DISSECTION, NECROPHOBIC and NAGLFAR took the black metal template, and injected two of the things Swedes do best – melody, and hints of death metal. The melodic black metal style pioneered in Sweden has, like it’s death metal cousin, grown in popularity outside Sweden’s borders, with the likes of the USA’s UADA and Germany’s THULCANDRA taking up the mantle. However, keen to return melodic black metal to it’s place of origin, ASTROPHOBOS have crafted an epic offering with Malice Of Antiquity.
ASTROPHOBOS kick off Malice Of Antiquity in spectacular fashion with Fire Of Catharsis. The opening song gives a strong insight into what can be expected from the record right from the offset. Catchy, tremolo riffs and punishing blast beats drive the song onward, while a sense of clarity in the raw, raspy vocals let the lyrics cut through the cold wall of sound. This very much sets the tone for Malice Of Antiquity, with big melodies and a crisp clarity leaving the album a far cry from the “trve” black metal stylings of early DARKTHRONE or MAYHEM. Abattoir Of Flesh & Faith sees the only blemish on what is an otherwise stellar album. Just passed the minute mark, there’s a weird, sample-sounding voice that breaks the immersion of the song, and doesn’t quite fit. Otherwise, however, Abattoir Of Flesh & Faith delivers the goods – particularly towards the closing moments of the song with a soft break leading to frantic outro.
It’s the second half of Malice Of Antiquity that really shines, despite the strength of the first songs. Opening with deceptively mellow guitars, mid-way point The Summoning Call has a haunting, melancholic feel to it, showcasing a softer side to ASTROPHOBOS‘s brutality. Meanwhile, The Wolf Between The Stars is a frantic, textbook example of just how furious melodic black metal can be, despite it’s prefix, while Until The Red Of Dawn stands as an album highlight with it’s huge, memorable riffs and softer, atmospheric sections. Malice Of Antiquity comes to a triumphant close with Imperator Noctis. Melancholic, yet sinister, guitars open the song, driving it to it’s forstbitten bulk, while ASTROPHOBOS perfectly blend the misery-drenched riffs with atmospherics and the signature furious nature of their genre. An easy contender for the album’s best song, Imperator Noctis ends Malice Of Antiquity on the highest of notes.
Malice Of Antiquity definitely leans more towards the melodic side of melodic black metal, but this is no bad thing. Throughout the record, ASTROPHOBOS employ hook-laden, tremolo riffs, and a glass-gurgling vocal style that carries a certain clarity, allowing the listener to easily decipher the lyrics. However, do not take this to mean Malice Of Antiquity is some form of “black metal-lite” or “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Black Metal” – for all the melodic, easy-on-the-ear elements in ASTROPHOBOS‘s sound, the baseline of their style is true to the roots of black metal, in all it’s raw, abrasive, frostbitten glory. Equal parts melodically catchy and utterly eviscerating, Malice Of Antiquity is an early-year triumph.
Rating: 8/10
Malice Of Antiquity is out now via Triumvirate Records.
Like ASTROPHOBOS on Facebook.