I am a self-admitted, total noob to Melechesh. Somehow it is 2015 and I had never heard a single album. Disgrace, I know. But don't go anywhere just yet. I find it useful to have both objective and subjective reviews of an album, and given that I have not yet been tainted by previous releases, my outsider perspective may prove poignant as well.
Enki caught my ear first and foremost with its energy and able musicianship. Sumerian-soaked riffs, rampant double-bass, and vicious blackened growls: there is very little not to like about any of the various parts at play. Regarding what is so enjoyable about this album, there is little more to say that has not already been covered in reviews of past albums. Terms like “heavy groove” and “infectious rhythms” still very much apply. Songs like “Tempest Temper...”, “Multiple Truths,” and “Metatron and Man” are thrilling, albeit familiar rides through the desert.
Comparing this album to other works, I hear similarities to the frenetic, guitar driven onslaught of Absu. This comes as little surprise given that they are former label-mates and even briefly had Proscriptor in the band. However, Enki is emphatically more focused on folky melodies and rock and roll than pure blackened thrash. The sound is also fuller through both production choices and use of alternative instrumentation. Vocals are akin to Ghaal-era Gorgoroth, but the upbeat melodies and bouncy rhythms maintain the fury while defusing some of the evil.
But for every exciting sandstorm, there is an oasis on the horizon. Tracks like “Enki...” grind the action to a halt with performances and songwriting that didn't quite do it for me. What at first seemed hypnotizing has become a bit of an endurance run. This is especially notable given that the track is only around 9 minutes long. The closing track is far longer, whether or not you count the prior interlude, yet works infinitely better with its sense of progression and entrancing use of sitars. But my least favorite moment is the collaboration with Max Cavalera, which I found to be pointless. He adds very little to the sound and feels tacked on. Furthermore this track offers the most repetitive and arduous hook of the album.
Final word: inconsistent, but still quite good. While there are some undisputed heavy-hitters on this album, extended time will reveal chinks in the scimitar-worn armor. Riffs can sound a little too similar at times from track to track and energy ebbs and flows. Ultimately I did go back to listen to prior releases, and I can't help but make the typical recommendation for Emmisaries. This album seems to attempt a fusion of their masterpiece's sheer adrenaline with the more wandering approach of Epigensesis. The result is more pleasurable than the latter, but falls short of the former. That said, I wouldn't be surprised to see this on an end-of-year ballet.