Ah, the old guards still stand at the gates and strike those down who believe in the false light. The bile spews from their mouths as their blades cut flesh and the crimson liquid flows.
Antaeus were formed in 1994 but never really went anywhere until Spikekult head, MkM took over on vocals and spewed his hate all over this first full length in 2000. Originally released by Baphomet records, of Killjoy and Redstream Records fame, Osmose re-released it in 2004.(also a limited to 500 LP version put out by MkM and End All Life) We have only ever heard the original Baphomet release and it was enough for us to raise our horns and hail the kings of old, namely Mayhem. No other band in recent history, besides the Spanish Primigenium can summon the spirits of the Norwegian masters the way Antaeus did on CYFLAWS. It was not the music that inspires such a comparison, but the mood, the feeling, the disgust. Musically this could be more aligned with Blasphemy and Sarcofago, but the mood was Pure Fucking Armageddon. From the intro of Inner War with its warped synths and delusional spoken words, we knew the masters had risen from the dead to reclaim what black metal was about. No Mayhem reformation or later albums could ever capture the darkness that this record contained. Angels fell from heaven just by playing it and demons came forth from the speakers. Eight tracks total with a buzzsaw pace and pounding hell drums beating you into submission, this was a masterpiece of primal hate.
From the beginnings of Inner War through to Devotee, Specimen 23 and Nihil Khaos and ending with the live version of Daemon, all eight tracks shred and remind you of why you were drawn to black metal in the first place. A for some reason oft overlooked black gem, one listen will have you converted. This is TRUE black metal in honour of HIM. Black odes to that which should not be. Seek it out and join them.
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