Take the trip to ancient Babylon
Folk legends and traditional mythology of old, be it Celtic, Norse, Mesopotamian or other, is as good a source of inspiration as any, and certainly helts create an atmosphere. Bands like Nile, Melechesh, Orphaned Land and Scarab are noted for their incorporation of mesopotamian, mediterranean, egyptian and oriental feels in their music, forerunning the scene that glorifies the ancient days of the cradle of civilization.
"You can easily get lost in the gloomy bazaars and tight torch-lit corridors of some ancient mediterranean city while listening."
En Eabatu, self-proclaimed Lord of Babylon, the sole member of AGGA, steps in the footprints of these giants. With lyrics firmly rooted in Babylonian and Sumerian mythology aswell as Lovecraftian lore and music in the genre of black metal with an absolute and dominant twist of ancient-sounding folk music, AGGA is a phenomenal example of the fact that tradition and new thinking can easily go hand in hand. En Eabatu has labeled AGGA as "mystical metal", a term that seems exactly fitting for the mystical vibes that permeate this 7 track album. You can easily get lost in the gloomy bazaars and tight torch-lit corridors of some ancient mediterranean city while listening.
It's obvious to the listener that the band's main strength lies in the incorporation of this dark, ancient ambience in the otherwise standard black metal sound with incredibly catchy and atmospheric riffs aswell as catchy choruses. The overall feel goes great with the metal elements and the vocal styles that lies somewhere between a black metal rasp and a death metal growl. The structure and flow of the individual tracks also help contribute to the overall feel.
The production is somewhat below par and doesn't follow the quality of songwriting. En Eabatu's mind for detail almost outshines all other aspects of the album, although the atmosphere is almost thick with history.
It's obvious to the listener that the band's main strength lies in the incorporation of this dark, ancient ambience in the otherwise standard black metal sound with incredibly catchy and atmospheric riffs aswell as catchy choruses. The overall feel goes great with the metal elements and the vocal styles that lies somewhere between a black metal rasp and a death metal growl. The structure and flow of the individual tracks also help contribute to the overall feel.
The production is somewhat below par and doesn't follow the quality of songwriting. En Eabatu's mind for detail almost outshines all other aspects of the album, although the atmosphere is almost thick with history.
8/10
Released in 2008 independently
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