An Epic Crust Odyssey: ANOPHELI “The Ache of Want” Review + Stream

We’ve already talked about this “all-star” melodic crust band called Anopheli. We were stoked as shit when they dropped their debut album on Halo of Flies Records and Alerta Antifascista just last year. Its rage, cohesiveness and sensitivity was at times puzzling, at times enveloping, at times mesmerizing. The screamo/proto-emo bursts of color that spot their sound, the soaring cello lines, the constant alternation of female and male vocals, and the unrelenting crust fury showcased on their debut was something to get lost in and carried away by, and today the band delivers it to us all over again with the same fury and beauty while also taking everything to the next level of power and intensity, making for a solid and undeniable step forward and above for the band. Once again coming from Halo of Flies in the US and from Alerta Antifascista in the EU, The Ache of Want is Anopheli’s second full length album and its an absolute adrenaline ride through the most extreme peaks and valleys of human emotion.

Comprised of former members of Monuments Collapse and fronted by Alex CF (Carnist, Fall of Efrafa, Light Bearer) Anopheli’s new album will carry you away in a firestorm of raging guitars, furious d-beat tempos, ripping vocals and rioting atmospheres. As known, the band picks up from where Remains of the Day had left off, injecting in their thick and abrasive guitar sound washes of beautiful cello tapestries and tons of soaring melodies. Their melodic crust punk comes also straight from the gut of Spanish anarco-crust, borrowing essential elements directly from the legendary  Iberic crust bands like Madame Germen, Ekkaia, Ictus and Leadershit. But is doesn’t end there.

The double-headed war-injected beast of Tragedy and From Ashes Rise is well preserved in the band’s sound as well, and when you hear Anopheli’s ripping d-beat gallops, furious riffing, throat-shredding screams, and the belligerent and war-injected overtones of certain parts of their music, you will soon realize what we mean when we mention those two legendary crust bands when referring to Anopheli’s music.

The Ache of Want came out digitally on July 2 on Halo of Flies in the US and from Alerta Antifascista in the EU. Look out for a vinyl release coming in late fall – early winter of 2015. Don’t sit on this record, it’s one of melodic-crusts’ highest points in 2015 so far.