Black metal is cool now right?
Not to complain. I enjoy the genre, generally speaking, and the statement isn't a cut on Black Anvil as a band. It does seem like there are millions of BM bands coming out of the woodwork at this point. The skill or adherence to the genre are always up in the air. Black Anvil, for their part, tend to err on the side of tradition.
Black Anvil aren't new as a band but, unfortunately, on their third full-length they have failed to pull out any new tricks. What the band does well has remained consistent as ever. They play a strong, classic style of BM no frills. Tremolo riffs, double bass, and forceful vocals all have a definite place on this record. There is little else to say when it comes to the band.
Sadly this record could've used a few frills at times as the monotony can build at times before the song shifts or the next song comes along. There is certainly something to be said for tradition, especially in a genre that can be as stringent about it as black metal, but that doesn't mean anyone should become tied to it either.
On the positive side, where the band fail to reinvent the wheel they certainly do a good job of replicating and even spit-shining it to their liking. So while none of what they're doing may seem new it certainly is enjoyable and sometimes that can be more important than breaking ground.
