Ash Magick – Rituals of Anathematic East (Real Black Metal Witchcraft)
I feel like only close friends with a similar, nihilistic mindset, could craft something of this nature. Lo and behold, the two soulless husks who made this appear to be such a case. Suffice to say the two women behind Ash Magick, and their latest offering of ritualistic, black metal witchcraft, Rituals of Anathematic East, are just such a pair. It’s easy to assume that their lives have been fraught with suffering, and even if not they definitely play it off well and I’m going to pretend that’s how it is. It makes this review more colorful then, and we need some color after listening to this dismal, barren collection of two poor, rejected wretches (again let’s just assume that’s true) who have come to exorcise your soul.
This shit’s noisy as hell, and let me tell you unless you have the bass levels increased it sounds like absolute shit in a car, but this wasn’t designed for that. It was designed as a replacement for a choir, as a way to destroy tradition. It’s entirely rusted to its core, like a shrieking set of metal gates providing entrance to a long buried grave. Apparently ideas for Rituals of Anathematic East came from a trip to Mardin, Turkey, where there’s a lot of ancient sorcery or something. Regardless if that’s true, in addition to my previous assumptions, the point is Ash Magick finely create occult atmospheres with little effort. In spite of how unfiltered it all is, there’s a clear attention to detail with a variety of sounds filling out the expected black metal action. Add in vocals that shriek like a dead civilization and the package is complete. I’ll make one more assumption to finish it off, which is that there’s likely legitimate occult experience behind this. Probably some sacrificing. Probably some curses. Stuff you can never come back from once it’s in you. Complete soul removal.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Ash Magick – Rituals of Anathematic East
Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings
Cover Art: Band
4.3 / 5
