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Not too much is known about Anguis Dei aside from the fact that they apparently hail from somewhere in Japan and are currently a four-piece project. The band also incorporates many melodic and symphonic elements into their hellish brand of black metal, with themes emphasizing on Satanism & Demonology. The band formed in 2014 and released a demo last year...but this year, they are following up to that with their first EP.
This release, titled Ad Portas Serpentium, is the band's debut EP and aims to showcase some of the material that fans and listeners should expect to hear on their upcoming full-length. The subtle EP clocks in at a measly twenty minutes and consists of four tracks, each at about five minutes in duration. While the music is mostly hard-hitting with some influences in straight death metal, there are also some melodic and symphonic aspects thrown in to hone the black metal aesthetic. These include synth and keyboard work that emulates church-like organs, as well as the placement of choir-like chanting in some parts as well. In addition, there are tremolo guitar riffs, some breakdowns, a lot of shrieking, and tons of other stuff to listen for.
First off, the EP itself is admittedly fun to listen to at certain points. The strongest parts of it can be found in the symphonic melodies and cliche, yet entertaining black metal aspects. While some of these feel forced, such as the vocals, lyrics, and overall atmosphere...it's rather easy to get hooked on the aesthetic. The vocals vary in strength and energy, and there is a bit of innovation through the instrumentals that can be heard. The guitars are great at keeping the pace and bringing a sort of death metal vibe to the mix. The tone is catchy and the production quality is standard for the kvlt crowd. The themes and lyrics are pretty much your average black metal but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate them for what they are,especially when you've got the rest of the music to help out. The track "Maythorns Over Uroboros" showcases the band's best aspects and is arguably the best song.
While the EP is fun, it's still pretty flawed. For one thing, the tracks exhibit strange editing or transitioning at times that feels out of place and forced. Secondly, as mentioned before, this release is packed with countless cliches related to the genre. The vocals are a testament to this especially, since they are sometimes so incoherent or over-the-top that they almost come off as comedic. Finally, the instrumental filler track could've been done away with completely as it drags on forever and doesn't really add much overall.
In conclusion, Anguis Dei's debut EP is a subtle and short symphonic black metal EP. Yes, it's got its flaws...but at the same time, there is a bit of fun to be had with it for what it is. The release is only slight above your average low-end black metal release, but it's still worth a quick listen nonetheless.
Fave Track: "Maythorns Over Uroboros"
**Available at Svart Records now!**
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Review by: Dave Raffy
-Musician, reviewer, fan & promoter
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