Antaeus (France): “Condemnation”

​Maybe I do not need to introduce you to Antaeus, leading band of the French extreme scene with Deathspell Omega. It took the French band ten years to release a new album after Blood Libels dating back to 2006, and since the wait was almost getting agonizing, one could wonder if the new Antaeus album had in store amazing innovations. Well, none of this: the new album Condemnation continues exactly along the same lines of the previous albums, which is good because often we fans remain disappointed when bands betray their sound. From this point of view Antaeus never disappoint, they are an extreme band in truest sense of the word. Condemnation is an album that exudes hatred, misanthropy, insanity each very second. I would say that about 90% of the album consists of riffs with supersonic blast beats; Enthroned drummer Menthor did not give much variety to the tempos, to the extent that I almost came to doubt that they had a drum machine. The result is that the songs are very similar each other and the album is a bit monotonous. The first real tempo change, and one of the few of the album, is a short doomish section in “Flesh Ritual”; something similar is also found in “Abeyance”, but otherwise the album is like a jackhammer, with its relentless blast beats. Condemnation is still a must, just because it is by Antaeus; anyway, I prefer it to other speed-based albums.
 
Notes:
Condemnation was released on November 18 2016 on Norma Evangelium Diaboli.
 
Personnel:
MkM: Vocals
Set: Guitars
Guest musicians:
Menthor: Drums
 
Text by Herjann
herjann@unholyblackmetal.com