Ancient Hatred ‎"Glorification of the End" CD

Second full-length "Glorification of the End" Released trough
Astral Nightmare productions in March 10, 2020

Great new album of the finnish horde. Pure negativ death worship!! CD limited to 500 copies.

There are countless Finnish black metal bands, and as the quality standard of the music is generally speaking pretty high I am always glad about discovering another one which has been unknown to me so far. One of my latest finds is Ancient Hatred. They are not a new band though, as the year of origin has been 2007. After a demo and an EP the full length debut has been presented to the metal community in 2011, called “Oath of Death”. It took nearly a decade to finish full length number two, but I am glad that this one has finally been released through Astral Nightmare Productions in 2020, titled “Glorification of the End”. While surely not winning any awards for innovation this album offers nearly everything I am looking for when putting a black metal CD into the player.
What this album may lack in musical innovation it more than makes up for in sheer, bloody-minded intensity and evil, malevolent melody, all of which makes this band more than capable of leaving their mark. This album is an unpretentious, and in many ways uncomplicated, sometimes even relaxing, listen, with a heavy focus on high-voltage riffs, catchy chords and epic harmonies, all designed to grab you and don’t let you go before the album has finished. The atmosphere created by the lead harmonies is outstanding. Take for example track number two “Ruins of the Old World”, where the main theme is melancholic and oozes desperation. However, by using small variations to the defining basic melody some moments appear to be brighter, and it feels like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. It is fascinating to realize how the playing of the guitar is able to change the mood of the passive listener throughout the record.
There are quite a few let ups throughout, with any that do come are welcoming, even if they are sometime short. Sometimes things are slowed down suddenly, but the next swirling guitar attacks and the blood-thirsty sounding vocals are just around the corner. Some short reprieves are giving you a chance to take a deep breath before plunging back into the pit. Once you do though, you just don’t want to leave. The music takes you to dark territories and unknown places, and while the lyrical themes are quite bleak “Glorification of the End” owns a mystical beauty.

Most of the songs are kept in mid-tempo, and the band does not shy away from using some more ambient pieces. The drumming is straight and not too chaotic, staying mainly in the background and leaving most of the space to the captivating harmonies. This is not the kind of black metal trying to attack the listener with as many blast-beat sections as possible. What really makes this output great is the contrast of heaviness and a subtle fragility.

The production has been carefully chosen, finding the right mix between clarity and a certain level of rawness. Nothing sounds too polished or too synthetic, but there is enough punch and power. The cover artwork is also fantastic, perfectly fitting to the music. If you are a fan of Finnish or traditional black metal in general than you should definitely not miss out on this one.

Sample: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...