June 8, 2015

Filthy Music Review - 'The Negation: Memento Mori'


The Negation - Memento Mori (2015)

Kaotoxin Records 

Review by Trevor Proctor

French label, Kaotoxin Records is set to bring us the second full length album from black metal nihilists The Negation on the 6th of July. The Negation’s debut album, Paths of Obedience, was self-released in 2013 and garnered the band a lot of positive reviews and media attention. For a debut release it took many by surprise due to its devastatingly heavy and powerful production which lends itself well to the band’s dark, cold and nihilistic take on Black Metal. It wasn’t long before the band was signed by pioneering French underground label, Kaotoxin Records, for a subsequent album which they will be releasing in a limited quantity of special edition cd digipaks that won’t be repressed on sell-out.

The band’s association with established names is quite significant – the artwork was provided by Metastazis who has previously designed artwork for the likes of Morbid Angel, Behemoth and Watain and they’ve toured with Marduk and Belphegor. Also, Memento Mori was produced at The Hybreed Studio which has previously been used to record works from the likes of Temple of Baal, Glorior Belli and Azziard. Whilst at first this album might sound like Orthodox Black Metal Memento Mori is a concept album dealing with today’s world and where it’s headed – towards its destruction and demise. “Mankind and its utter nihilism is the only inspiration and the only reason why The Negation is darker than many and more hopelessly brutal than most.”

Track one is a short space age intro and that’s pretty much the most calm you’ll hear for the duration of the album as a few seconds later The Negation propel us into their nihilistic maelstrom. The first thing you’ll notice are the high production values which are crisp and clear yet never too polished; these production values are essential in conveying both The Negation’s precise, skilled musicianship and also lend themselves well to the total destruction the band are bringing us – I’m sure you want the world’s demise to be as audible as possible. 


The vocal performance from A.S.A. cuts both across and through the music, sounding like some sort of demented and demonic force commanding the destruction of the very Earth. At times The Negation’s music lends it’s sound as much to Death Metal as it does to Black Metal, “A Prayer for Those I Will Have to Kill” (track five) being a prime example of this as there’s riffs galore that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Death Metal track. This is no bad thing as there’s plenty of variety within The Negation’s sound. It’s track six, Faith in God’s Corpse, before there’s any sort of let-up in pace but even that’s short-lived as The Negation plough through track after nihilistic track with Black Metal brutality constantly to the fore-front. 

No songs about witches, forests or demons – just total misanthropy reigns supreme. If you’re after brutally extreme Black Metal then Memento Mori easily delivers but delve a little deeper into the concept and lyrics to experience the world’s end in all its brutal glory.

The Negation are set to appear at the 2nd Kaotoxin festival which is due to take place in Lille during December 2015 along with a plethora of other extreme acts – Kaotoxin is known for its extremity within music and with The Negation they have turned the extremity dial up a notch or two. Extreme, intricate and destructive Black Metal - these could be the backing tracks to accompany the world’s demise – total aural destruction. Excellent.

8/10

Tracklist:

1 - Intro
2 - The True Enemy
3 - Sacrifice the Weak
4 - Parasite Fall
5 - A Prayer for the Ones I’ll Have to Kill
6 - Faith in God’s Corpse
7 - End of Cycle
8 - Visions of Doom
9 - Résistance
10 - Outro

The Negation line-up:

A.S.A. (vocals) 
Thanatoath (Guitars) 
Gelgjer (Guitars) 
Agarash (Bass) 
Kryos (Drums)

Memento Mori is released on July 6th by Kaotoxin

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