For You Men Who Gaze into the Sun

I became aware of Antzaat through guitarist and singer Ronarg and his main band Ars Veneficium, as well as the label Immortal Frost Productions. "For You Men Who Gaze into the Sun" is the somewhat long title of the debut album. Released in 2020, this work of art might have been a bit lost - wrongly, as it is an absolutely monumental piece of dark art that will appeal to purists and fans of classic but not dusty black metal. Consisting of nine tracks and 45 minutes playing time this album is a reminder of why this style has gained so many followers over the years as it perfectly combines raw aggression and emotive harmonies in the best possible way.

Showcasing their uncompromising aggression in every riff and gut wrenching vocals, with their occult lyrics and perfect execution of every chord, Ars Veneficium do not waste a lot of time. A short intro is setting the mood, but from the first riff of “Between the Beginning and the End” the band does not show any mercy and works their dark magic on the listener. The album fully immerses you in this space of pure misanthropy and intolerance for the status quo and the mercantile, for all that which simply has no place in the life of someone who is conscious and is poisonous to the existence and expansion of our spiritual world as a whole and as individuals. Raw, fierce, cutting, and presented to you as emotion and as meaning through lyrics that address both the outer world, as well as the inner self, creating a powerful introspection and a sense of some kind of incompleteness and pure grimness.

A wall of sounds, an abundance of sensations, an avalanche of blows and all this under the all-powerful, strong roar of the singer. The songwriting is cleverly paces with the music following ups and downs, with more chaotic and some laid-back parts complementing each other effortlessly. The final product is coherent, melodic, with an idea and vision how this kind of music has to be constructed to stay true to the origins but sound modern enough to be fully enjoyed. The second title track is a continuation and a smooth transition to the previous track. Only the ominous cry at the beginning of the song "Are you Men, Who Gaze Into The Sun!?" announces that something changes. But it changes for the better, if that's even possible, with the memorable main harmony emerging through the blasts and relentless riffs.

The presented compositions flirt with the Swedish tradition of melodic black metal (think Dark Funeral, Dissection etc.) and smoothly switch between faster and midtempo passages without ever forgetting about the guitar melodies. That being said Antzaat have enough own identity to stand their ground as the enhance the well-known formula by throwing in slightly dissonance key sequences and orthodox elements. Ronarg and his colleagues drive the tracks forward with cold, despairing riff work. There is a very real sense of urgency running through the whole album. They more or less constantly maintain the level of intensity and urgency and leave the listener only few opportunities to catch a breath, most of the time in form of short sections where the speed and heaviness is dialed back for a moment of melodic interplay before the blistering black storm returns. The chord progressions bury themselves in the mix alongside the melancholic leads and hate-fueled vocals which culminates in a very dynamic overall sound.

“For You Men Who Gaze into the Sun” is a great gem and I cannot understand why not more are talking about Antzaat. Maybe it is the flood of releases so that even top notch stuff gets overlooked. All I can say is that I personally cannot find any real flaws here. One could argue that in the end this album is more less just a mix of elements having been used so many times before, but even then it takes great talent to forge something so convincing. Absolutely recommended!