AN NCS VIDEO PREMIERE: AKHENATEN — “HALLS OF AMENTI”

 

Today is the day when Satanath Records (Russia) and Dark Terror Temple (Mexico) will release The Emerald Tablets Of Thoth, the latest album by the US band Akhenaten, whose amalgamation of death and black metal with Eastern melodies and traditional Middle Eastern instrumentation has already proven to be an alluring combination.

The new album — the fourth full-length in Akhenaten’s discography and the first since 2018’s well-received Golden Serpent God — focuses on the themes surrounding the mysteries of the Emerald Tablets and the teachings of Thoth the Atlantean, and it carries forward the collaboration between Colorado-based brothers Jerred and Wyatt Houseman, who also join forces in the symphonic black metal band Helleborus.

Later today you will have the opportunity to listen to the entirety of the new album, but for now we bring you the premiere of a lyric video for the second track in the running order — “Halls of Amenti“.

 

 

This new song channels mystery and menace in mesmerizing and marauding ways. Almost immediately, it presents a gripping combination of glimmering, high-flying, ethereal waves, thrusting bass heaviness, bursting drum flurries, savage growls, and raw howls (doubled for extra ferocity).

The oriental texture of the cascading synth melodies grows increasingly pronounced, swaying and swirling with exotic and mystical charisma, accented by ethnic percussive rhythms and maniacal, darting fretwork. But as forecast, there is palpable menace in the music as well, not only from the fangs-bared vocals and the wildness of the fretwork frenzies but also from ominous horn fanfares and cold, groaning low-end currents. And on top of all that, the song gets stuck in the head quite easily.

 

 

For those anxious to hear more of the album, below we’ve also included the stream of a previously released track, “A Hybrid of the Gods“.

The Emerald Tablets of Thoth includes guest appearances by Josh Dummer (Buried Realm), Stuart Hetzler (The Boston Molasses Disaster), and Nation Sampino (A Belt Above Black). Satanath and Dark Terror Temple recommend it for fans of Nile, Absu, Melechesh, Septicflesh, and Nokturnal Mortum.

PRE-ORDER:
https://satanath.bandcamp.com/album/sat327-akhenaten-the-emerald-tablets-of-thoth-2021
https://darkterrortemple.bandcamp.com/

AKHENATEN:
https://akhenatenmusic.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/akhenatenmetal