AZAGHAL - Codex
Antitheus (AVANTGARDE - CD 2005)
I must admit that I am not really that big fan
of the Finnish black metal scene. Sure, there are some bands that I like and
have a lot of respect for, but too often Suomi hordes annoy me with the useless
primitiveness and total boredom, which only leads to bands like Horna, which
have 134 releases, but only one or two are really worthy having in the
collection and being listened to, if you know what I mean. Azaghal is also a
band, which released fuckin loads of stuff, quite few EPs and up to 2012 they
did nine full length LPs – “Nemesis” being the most recent one. But I actually haven’t heard most of
them and those, which I have - like “Mustamaa” or “Helvetin Yhdeksän Piiriä” - were
again nothing much convincing and influential. Few years ago I got “Codex
Antitheus” and I must say that this album is actually pretty good and more so
it may belong to the best Finnish stuff, which I have listened to. I tend to go
back to it quite frequently and each time I do so, I promise myself to check
out also some other new Azaghal releases, like the mentioned “Nemesis”, “Omega”
or “Teraphim” CDs, but never have time to do that. But definitely I will do
that one day, because if any of these LPs is as good as “Codex Antitheus” is,
then it must be a real treat for the black metal fanatics.
The album really surprised me, as while it
still has that raw and ferocious, obscure touch, it also doesn’t annoy with the
useless primitivism and mindless songwriting. These songs are actually pretty
good, with lots of killer moments and memorable stuff, so in the end “Codex
Antitheus” delivers music, which will not leave you careless. Maybe only the
front artwork can bring mixed up feelings, as not only it is not a typical
black metal picture (what can be an advantage for the band), but just looks
unimpressive, although it may fit the title pretty well - “Codex Antitheus” can
be translated as “code of the devil”, “antitheus” meaning something like
“opposite god” – “devil”.
Anyway, with the first couple of songs “Codex
Antitheus” blows my mind off. The opening track is especially memorable and
worthy being checked, as it probably is one of the most catchy, yet brutal
black metal anthems ever written in Suomi, with that fuckin awesome chorus
part, where you can also sign the word “Agios O Baphomet!!!!!!!!!”. Ha, this is
really excellent. But if in any case “Agios…” sounds too epic or monumental for
you, then “Nekromanteia” will make you feel better, as it is just a fuckin
blast, killer fast black metal piece, which slaughters with great riffing,
drumming and everything… For such songs “Codex Antitheus” is a good and worthy
album. But the entire CD doesn’t impress in its entirety, as there are also few
moments, which just annoy me, as I don’t really know why Azaghal decided to
take also more “experimental” or should I say “heavy / power” path, using some
falsetto vocals and stuff, which annoy me like crazy. While in the title track
it doesn’t yet sound so bad, then in “Kumarra Petoa” it is just way over the
edge, really. I sincerely think it sounds shit. Why did they think Accept
riffing would fit black metal? In my opinion all those clean vocals are
completely useless and only destroy the obscure, morbid atmosphere of the
album. Take "30 Hopearahaa" – great fast tempo almost all the way
through the song, fuckin killer… and there are those Sentenced-like clean
vocals in few parts. Fuck, what for??? It’s a shame as normally I could say
that I really, really like the (black metal) vocals of Varjoherra on this
album. He’s got really great, throaty, raspy black metal voice and also the
fact that all the lyrics are Finnish written is important, as the way this
language sounds makes also the vocals sound different and more original. I
actually always liked when black metal bands were using their native languages
– whether it’s Norwegian, Swedish, Polish or German… or Finnish… it always
sounds awesome and way more interesting that the usual English. And such album
like “Codex Antitheus” only confirms that, with great performance of Varjoherra.
Obviously the fact that the material is just really strong also helps a lot and
more so, the production of it is just excellent; quite clean, powerful, but
still maintaining that black metal harshness, which is so important in this
genre, as black metal just doesn’t sound right, if it’s overproduced and too
crystal clean. “Codex Antitheus” for that matter sounds really damn well.
The album is pretty much a 40 minute long
blastbeat, but assorted with quite few melodies, some guitars solos and those
damn useless clean vocals… Plus the finishing song - “Sieluton” – is something
completely different than the rest of “Codex…”, as it is quite slow, more
melancholic and sorrowful, with the clean vocals prevailing over the black
metal shriek… I actually like this song a lot, I must say, it has a cold, eerie
feeling, which may be different to the ferocity of the previous tracks, but I guess
it composes well and stands as a good finish to the whole album. Besides, I
like when the last song is different to the rest of the material, like some
bands (Behemoth for instance) also do.
So, as you can see I really like the album.
Definitely I must recommend it to you all, even if you – like myself – don’t
really feel crazy about the Finnish black metal scene. This one is actually not
bad at all and I like it a lot, despite those awful clean vocals.
Standout tracks: “Agios O Baphomet”, “Nekromanteia”,
“Viha”, “Sieluton”
Final rate: 75/100
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