Over a 22 year career
long running Jerusalem/Netherlands based black metal quartet Melechesh
after five year since the recording of their last sonic assailment revealed
their sixth full length album entitled “Enki” on 27th February,2015. Ancient
Egyptian,Sumerian mythology,history was always enigmatic,mysterious and ambiguous from
centuries and obviously difficult to trace . Pertaining their geographical position where ancient
Egypt prevailed for centuries spreading knowledge and reaching higher levels of
progression.Melechesh means “King Of Fire” in Hebrew language.Their latest
effort “Enki” title basically collected from Sumerian mythology.Enki means
“Lord Of the Earth”. In Sumerian/Babylon mythology Enki is deity of
mischief,water,craft,intelligence and creation. I believe that the fascination
over ancient Egypt,Sumerian mythology will never end and for a good reason.Always Egyptian ,Mesopotamian
mythology concept based article ,image ,
band whatever easily attracted me because of their epic history,magnificent
theme,culture .
This is an album I’ve been looking for a long time.This is
one of my anticipated release of this year. This new album consist with nine
tracks . Melechesh was formed in 1993.Basically their front-man Ashmedi resides
from Jerusalem but due to religious conflicts he was forced to relocate to
Amsterdam,Netherlands. Nowadays most of the bands experiment on their soundscapes
to create a music that can be different from others and bring to them a unique
identity. Black Metal colliding with Middle Eastern,Mesopotamian or otherwise
unconventional influences enjoys indeed tend quite rare but Melechesh able to gain proper attention in this
complex,unrelenting, disparate musical style.Melechesh became a well
established group of bands who can make a fully sound and creative and with a
lot of excellence in his lyrics,with well crafted,distinct content . Already
Nile,Coffin Texts, Maat is successful and well renowned band with Egyptian
mythology and Crescent became one of my favorite Egyptian
mythological band from past year. Melechesh deliver a very unique kind of black
metal combining melodic ,thrash and Sumerian folk elements with
their mystique and epic black metal.
At a first listen of “Enki” I was astounded and grab my
attention.After a few more listen this new album totally enthralled me with their
extreme,chromatic,multi-layered,occult black metal musical style with technical
riffs work ,thrash metal segments and melodic,folk vibe with Middle Eastern
musical influence and obviously their distinguishing musical composition
,grandiose concept just blew me away
.Ashmedi and his cohorts exudes tremendous effort in radiant way on this album
with excellent diligence and nailed it .I really appreciate Ashemdi’s
unsurpassed ability and skill. This new album is triumphant rich black metal.
This whole album reflects the grand diversity of sound brought together on this
album . Their incredibly sensitive,slightly sandy,dusty antique and disparate
musical styles all combined in one bold, enlightened display of unbound
creativity Despite the often fast ,furious,cacophonous, heavy and extreme form
of black metal assaults with a lots of
segments of thrash,melodic and tasteful
folk involvement enhanced with technical riffs work ,Middle Eastern musical
aspects enriched this album that is very
powerful,heavy and excellent all at the same time along with a good balance
of technical death metal music,Middle Eastern music,melody and brutality
with strangulated ,intricate riffs work and those effective rasps,harsh vocals
simultaneously . Their music is both dark and ecstatic. I highly appreciate and
applaud this album because of their distinct style .
This albums opening track “Tempest Temper Enlil
Enraged”starts with desert,sandy,dusty Middle eastern scenario followed by
intricate,fast,delicate riffs work,blast beating,fast soundscapes with
onslaught of savage guitar and a wall of spectacular,relentless drums . Their whole composition and musical style
is impeccable. From this new album we get fast, oppressive,occult black metal
finest variety with just make enough melody . This album is filled with a slew
of twisted , traversed ,chugging, groovy,intricate,apocalyptic,crushing riffs
line ups with technical prowess . As well bass line up is shifting, chaotic,
deeper,roving and bludgeoning. Drumming,percussion line up is
thundering,dodgy,punishing,frantic,blast beating and rabidly insane . There are a slew of
individual riffs,solo sections which sound briefly something exotic . In each
track intricate,spectacular riffs,bass
lineups matched in fantastic way with technical orientation . This album indulge
strong songwriting,grandiose concept and brilliant musicianship . Tempo changes
are excellent and complicated . Vocals harsh,snarling growls,deep rasps,
aggressive, vigorous, crucial voice woven in a good manner with their utterly
savage,merciless,onslaught, primal organic ,violent,uncanny black metal sound
with a lots of technical prowess, melodic,thrashy segments,Middle Eastern
musical accompaniment and embedded
perfectly .
I really worship this band . Each song have an energy
,fluency and dominating power . Stand out tracks are all of em . On “Enki -
Divine Nature Awoken”track sitar work is phenomenal .” Doorways to Irkala”
instrumental track is remarkable. This track borrow antique,dusty vibe and at
the same time you feel that you are travelling across a dry,abandon desert. On
this album guests are Max Cavalera on vocals on “Lost Tribes”, Sakis Tolis on
vocals on “Enki Divine Nature Awoken”, and Rob Caggiano on guitar solo on “The
Palm the Eye and Lapis Lazuli”. Album artwork is atrocious,indelible . their
album artwork reminds me about Egyptian,Sumerian territory, ancient history .Album
artwork Portrayed the flavor of Sumerian mythology . Overall
"Enki " whole album Sound extremely promising,prestigious, blistering
,engrossing ,significant and well proficient . Indeed this album is such an
true gem of this year and this album will give you unyielding awesomeness from
beginning to the end . Their potential
on this new album is appreciable .
"Enki" so presented as unshakable strong slabs of Egyptian
mythology based black metal .This is aesthetics of black metal . This album
have a fantastic sense of exoticism without any sacrifice in intensity.
outstanding another one release of this year so far . This is strongly
recommend to add it in your collection.Melechesh able to cultivate Middle
eastern music with black metal properly and garnished,presented this whole
album as a masterpiece.
My Rating – 4.6/5 Review done by - Souvik Basu
