NARGAROTH REVIEW

NARGAROTH - APOCALYPTIC STEEL

Well he's back, and after an almost decade-long silence (and long after sunsetting his "Kanwulf" moniker) Ash's brand over misanthropic, furious black metal roars with a vengeance once again. If one were to have any sort of reservations after a long hiatus it would indeed be understandable... No shills or stumbling detected whatsoever as "Apocalyptic Steel" plunges itself deep within the hear of the listener and never lets up.

After an intro of a woman screaming either out of pleasure or pain we get a play on the album's title with "Steel Apocalypse" and Ash's insane vocal attack paired with a good amount riffage to accompany traditional black metal compositions. Proving that he is very capable of showing the deepest recesses of his perversions as well "I Drink Alone" seems more befitting for a country or blues anthem yet Ash can manage to twist it to sheer black perfection. With "Metalheart" he then mixes ancient punk rock vibes with Hellhammeresque D-beat rhythms to get really restless and wild (yeah, yeah, I know...). Still, never ceasing to amaze, "Dresden" breaks formula dives headfirst into gothic rock territory, slow and midpaced minor tones and those morose clean vocals associated with that movement in a truly downtrodden atmosphere. "Man of Mayhem" also does a huge about face with a lengthy monolague midway through it's melancholic diatribe of over six methods. Finally to finish things off (and accompanied by a very stylistic music video to promote the album) "Requiem Germania" is a dirge to Ash's ancestral homeland with somber synth, choirs, and chants to bid farewell to... well, if he had it has way, anything and everything!

An absolute stunner of a comeback, Ash's unhinged affinity for violence, debauchery, and madness shine once again as it has for decades now. Get ready for an unpredictable kaleidoscope of maniacal black metal with more than enough twists and turns to keep your on your toes throughout. Black metal ist krieg! 

10/10