Anaal Nathrakh w/ Sigh and De Profundis | Scala, London 14/12/2022 | Live Review
The end? Here the question haunted the air for this one off show for Anaal Nathrakh.
An amazing Black Metal gig tearing apart the Scala and humanity in one fell swoop.
De Profundis
Could it really be the end? 2020, make no mistake, was a horrible year but for Anaal Nathrakh, it had robbed them of their natural next move after releasing their eleventh album: Endarkenment; to play live in support of this album. The Scala would host what was described as an experiment for the band: “If there were people out in the world who were willing to give it a shot with us.” In an attitude of let’s just see what happens…
What’s more is that they pulled together a wonderful line up, Sigh and De Profundis and in spite of some line up complications for Anaal Nathrakh who are a two piece with some live members, they managed to have members from Voices and Akercocke fill in. Unfortunately, Mick Kenney was unable to attend due to work commitments. What was left for the night might not be the usual, but it was a large amount of talent from dark ‘n’ twisted, amazing bands for a moment that looked to make up for ‘unfinished business’.
De Profundis are, perhaps, one of the most conventional bands that was on the line up. Their brand of Death Metal is a lovely set up for the night. They played their music tight and with a great amount of power, it thundered throughout the venue. However after it’s initial launch, songs somewhat blended into each other and an atmosphere that was, sort of, settled at. For all the efforts on display, for all musicianship and showmanship, it felt to be just under where they should be. Their set list featured many songs from their most recent album such as ‘Ritual Cannibalism’ and ‘Scapegoat’ and they hit them well albeit blurred into one another. Receiving the lukewarm reaction form the crowd, it opened the night off at very least.
Score: 5/10
Sigh
From Japan, Sigh are one of the more incredibly unique bands out there. Almost like a more avant garde and darker Ulver, they could be in a number of different forms on the stage. This was also reportedly their first UK gig in 12 years, what to expect was an interesting question to debate. Taking to the stage they were leaning both in to their most recent release: Shiki and their Japanese imagery. ‘Kuroi Kage’ felt thunderously groovy and atmospheric at the same time. A long song bathed in the Black Metal that envelops them with their familiar experimental edge and now pushing Japanese lyrics which gave an interesting twinge to Mirai Kawashima’s rasped vocals.
Sigh are anything but consistent, despite always sounding like Sigh, they take this into the more experimental ‘The Transfiguration Fear’, a song that seems to tribute Judas Priest. The set mostly comprised of songs from their early albums and as Mirai Kawashima was on bass and they were without Saxophone player Dr Mikannibal, there was a much more traditional Black metal vibe from the band than you’d come to expect. Keyboard parts felt more in the background, leaving songs to emphasise more traditional elements. It unfortunately felt like it was missing something. Closing on a Venom cover, ‘Black Metal’, we can wonder whether this was an intentional tribute to English Metal and Black Metal.
Score: 6/10
Anaal Nathrakh
‘Forward!’ into Anaal Nathrakh, this song being a big hit for them as well as a motto of their home town apparently on top of anything else. These guys launched on to the stage and there was a massive excitement for them. Their brutal sounds twinged with industrial edges and it’s an all-out assault. Into the first few songs we dived into the first two songs of Desideratum and then Eschaton. The idea that this could be their last was starting to feel as if there was some truth, they were exploring their discography. Though these were powerful crowd pleasers and pits tear open energetically embracing all of them. The modest suggest of a wall of death was comical compared to the crowd lovingly pouring themselves into it.
When it came hurtling to it’s chaotically brutal end, they had played only two from their most recent album Endarkenment and this may have been more reflective of their experiment. Turns out there were many songs to call out for throughout their set, ‘Forging Towards the Sunset’, ‘In the Constellation of the Black Widow’, ‘Forward!’, ‘Between Shit and Piss We Are Born’ and to finish everything we have ‘Do Not Speak’. This songs opening sample a clear metaphor for their brutal energy and ferocity in light of antagonistic world-views: ‘Imagine a boot, stamping on a human face, forever.’ This test to see if Anaal Nathrakh were wanted seems incredible. It was a sold out show and ‘We didn’t know, until we did it, whether people gave a shit’, what a surprise for any of the Anaal Nathrakh fans excited to see them, they felt they had unfinished business after Endarkenment wasn’t toured and I’d agree and it ‘Turns out many people agree with us.’ ‘Forward!’ to more times with Anaal Nathrakh.
Score: 8/10
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Singer