Angelfukk Witchhammer, also of Gloria Diaboli and previously of Ouroboros and Rites of Thy Degringolade, founded A.M.S.G. (stands for “Ad Majorem Satanae Gloriam”) back in 2007. After the release of an EP, The Principle of Evil Becomes The Ideal of The Promethean, the band strikes back in a much more malicious and sinister manner with the debut full-length, Anti-Cosmic Tyranny. The album’s six tracks are fueled by the old school black metal spite, but A.M.S.G. also have a few tricks up their sleeve that will make heads turn.
In Anti-Cosmic Tyranny you will find a fair bit of the traditional black metal sound. The typical black metal riffing is present in the majority of the twists and turns that A.M.S.G. take. Evoking chaos in places, for instance in “Reincarnation of the Sun”, with their devastating riffs and frantic drumming. But what is quite exciting is how they can easily step out of chaos and into huge mid tempo parts. That is where A.M.S.G. show that they do not have to just rely on their ferocity in order to make an impact. The riffs of “Sacrificial Chants of Cosmic Separation” become addictive when combined with the great groove of the track, while the hooking melodies of “Gnosis Granted From The Bloodline of Fire” work perfectly on top of the rhythmic foundation of the track.
And if that is not enough, A.M.S.G. get even more claustrophobic. The droning melodies of the closing track, “Bone Blood and Blackthorn” invoke mystical feelings, while the ritualistic moments in “Reincarnation of the Sun”, near the end of the song, manage to turn Anti-Cosmic Tyranny in even darker paths. When you also add to all that the band’s ability to sound majestic, as is the case with some parts of “Blood Bone and Blackthorn”, or almost grand/epic, for instance about five minutes in the opening track of the album “Black Rites of Black Shadows”, you realize that Witchhammer has set his mind into bending the whole spectrum of old school black metal to his will. Whatever the case might be, A.M.S.G. manage to craft their tracks in such as way as if they are in constant motion. There is no telling what one part might lead to in the next few seconds, and that is one of the strongest points of the album.
But if you think that this is just your typical black metal release, then you are seriously mistaken. The experimentation with sonic manipulation becomes very predominant from the beginning of the album, with “Black Rites of Black Shadows” showing the deranged nature of the album in full display. The sound becomes more and more menacing with the distorted vocals tearing through the chaos. In some cases the use of noise manages to build an oppressive and unstable sonic background, for instance in “Heretics and Ashes” which also includes samples from Hammer Horror film Witchfinder General. And then A.M.S.G. even throw in some saxophone parts in a couple of instances, in “Gnosis Granted From The Bloodline of Fire” and opening track “Black Rites of Black Shadows”.
In the end it is quite difficult to characterize an album such as Anti-Cosmic Tyranny. Even though there is no question that in its core it is a black metal release there are so many different elements put together in these six songs, that raise the album much higher than your standard black metal record. The only sure thing is: Anti-Cosmic Tyranny is a fucking great album.
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