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Barshasketh – Antinomian Asceticism Review

Antinomian Asceticism is Barshasketh’s 5th album, released almost 6 years after their previous album, the self-titled Barshasketh. Originating from New Zealand, these guys are now based in Scotland and have been working hard at perfecting their black metal craft. This record is pure black metal at its finest, in their own words “intentionally free from genre cross-pollination.” It feels dark, dense, and oppressively heavy from beginning to end, and definitely does not disappoint.

This album needs no introductory track and will brutally assault your senses from the very beginning with “Radiant Aperture,” a song that is aggressive and relentless from the first riff. The evil-sounding guitars and vocals are a perfect start to this record and will put you in the perfect mood for it. “Nitimur in Vetitum” probably has my favorite riffs of the album and gives me nightmarish Akhlys-like vibes. This track feels alive with its dark energy and the more you listen to it the better it gets. “Lebenswelt Below” has dark and sinister riffs that significantly slow things down, almost giving the track a doomier sound before it speeds up again and returns to the unstoppable ferocity of the tracks before.

Somehow increasing the aggression even more, “Charnel Quietism” could not have a darker or more evil sound if it tried. The hellish riffs combined with the vicious vocals and incessant drumming create a dark atmosphere that is palpable. “Phaneron Engulf” acts as an instrumental buffer before the final 2 tracks, and the drums in this sound ritualistic and intensely foreboding. The title track “Antinomian Asceticism” is the climax that “Phaneron Engulf” was building up to, and the chanting accompanies the harsh vocals wonderfully. We get some awesome riffs in this one too, and more of that evil sound that is just so good. Finally, the record finishes us off with “Exultation of Ceaseless Defiance,” where we get more chants that blend perfectly well with the unrelenting guitars and harsh vocals. This track is the perfect ending to a record that sought to create an enduring black metal sound and succeeded.

Antinomian Asceticism may not be groundbreaking or reinvent the black metal wheel, but what it does, it does exceedingly well. However, as someone who is all about emotion and melody, I didn’t feel the connection to the music that I often look for, but that takes nothing away from this great record. If you are looking for quality black metal, I dare say you will find it here. Listen to the full album below and see for yourself:

You can buy their vinyl here: https://www.w-t-c.shop/product_info.php?products_id=14958&language=en

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