The Ultimate Symphonic Black Metal – 96%
MiahDrao97, January 19th, 2020
Let it be known that this album was my gateway into black metal. I had tried black metal several times before with recommendations of Dimmu Borgir and Emperor, but Anorexia Nervosa was the one that did it for me. Dimmu Borgir felt too much like a large production. They felt like scores of musicians rather than a metal band. I believe the band should be the central element, and symphony needs to stay in the realm of ornamentation. Also, Emperor‘s production was a little too harsh for my tender ears back then. But Anorexia Nervosa (specifically with this album) started my journey into black metal.
Anorexia Nervosa really lives up to their vile name with New Obscurantis Order, more so than any other of their releases. Like the eating disorder, the band sounds chaotic, loathsome, and sinister. However, the orchestral bursts and strings simultaneously make them come across as regal and courtly, similar to a skeletal woman starving herself to death because she sincerely believes herself to be beautiful with that appearance. This contradiction fleshes out in the cacophony that is New Obscurantis Order.
Let’s analyze each instrument. The drums are lightning fast. The kicks are triggered, so each passage of rapid fire notes feels like a rumbling earthquake. Previously coming from a death metal background, I found that to be quite appealing. This drum mix is not common for black metal in 2001, but I’d say it is to their advantage. Blast beats can be found on every track save one, and they are very fast. You can tell that the band has radically accelerated their tempos since their previous release Drudenhaus.
The guitars are also impressive, possessing a rather technical edge. Looking up tabs for this band is difficult, but I was able to pull up Chatiment de la Rose on Songsterr, and it’s a monster to play. While it is one of the most elegantly composed songs on the record, the rest of the songs still hold their own with sudden meter changes and twin guitar melodies. Without fail, the guitars are the driving force at every second. You can hear the complexity and stateliness even in the guitar tracks without the symphony.
The vocals sound like the howls of hysteria. Hreidmarr Rose is an excellent vocalist. He delivers lyrics very quickly, and the overlapping vocals tracks attack you with relentless screams throughout each song. His shrieks are at the forefront of the mix, and there is never a moment when you feel let down. You can hear the detail in his screams really well, indicating that he isn’t hiding under loads of distortion and compression. He has great technique, and his breath capacity has to be insane.
The symphonic stuff (strings, horns, choirs, etc.) remains generally in the higher registers. Occasionally, they fight with the guitars like in Black Death Nonetheless, but everything is used tastefully. This is something most symphonic bands fail to do. (…)
As the listener, you will meander between captivation, disgust, anger, and grief, just like one would at the sight of such an emaciated person. (…) Hail Tyranny is an amazing piano interlude when I think things are starting to lull.
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rafazardly 