ANA KEFR: "The Burial Tree"

Rating: 9/10

Label: Muse Sick Music 2011

Review by: Urban "Wally" Wallstrom

Kefr?? Ana Kefr??? Holy crap!!! These guys are good... and weird, so utterly and completely bonkers. It's simply blistering metal with several layers and depths of influences and multi-cultural roots. I don't believe that I have enjoyed a "extreme metal" CD (FYI: I do not count 'Trash' and 'Speed' as 'extreme metal') this much since Extol's "Blueprint" album in 2005?? Okay, don't take these words as the 'Urban Gospel' (hah!) since I might have forgotten about a CD or ten. Nevertheless, Ana Kefr and "The Burial Tree" - top notch stuff from the opening track "Ash-Shahid" to the closing one, "The Collector" and that's all you need to know really.

Crystal clear and excellent production, complex songwriting, lyrically, a journey of religious, political and social disorders. Highly technical 'outside-the-box' metal and such a vivid mixture of Trash, Death, Progressive and Black Metal. Melodic and brutal, piano/keyboards and grinding guitars, this my friend, will knock you down to the ground and leave you gasping for air. Vocally, Rhiis D. Lopez works within a similar frame to the "Extol" approach, meaning all sort of types, from clear and melodic ones to darn right sinister and growling ones. Plenty of growls actually, but I don't mind when it's being synchronized with the music and not like some bands where it's merely 'there' to upset or annoy people.

Their sophomore release reaffirms their belief in the integrity of art, and to shed a light to their beliefs, this from the track, "Parasites", and I quote, "They believe beacuse they're terrified to know. The empire of denial is burning as anomalies are cast below. So the parasite benefits the most when it's sanctified and adored by its host. How I wish I were the hypocrite, that I could kill them all and be at peace with it", end quote. It's such a intense experience that you'll completely forget about time and place - it's simply Ana Kefr. Highly Recommended!!!

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