Alghazanth – Eight Coffin Nails

[schema type=”review” name=”Alghazanth – Eight Coffin Nails” description=”Label: Woodcut Records” author=”Basak Günel” pubdate=”2018-03-31″ ]

For some bands, everything comes to an end… After being active for 22 years, the Finnish black metal band Alghazanth decided to release a funeral album that would mark the end of their career. The band have seven full-length releases and the last one is the 8th record “Eight Coffin Nails”.

Being a fan of black metal, it surprised me that I have never heard this band’s name before so upon receiving their promo, I decided to give it a spin. Considering the genre being melodic black metal, the band definitely delivers what the style is about. BM riffs, brutal vocals and melodic keys in the background. A surprising name in the album’s line-up was Trollhorn (keyboards for this album), the mastermind behind Finntroll and Moonsorrow! His contribution is definitely obvious and spectacular in the band as those melodies in the background add a nice touch to the overall BM sound, making it atmospheric and even darker.

As much as the band delivers that typical melodic black metal sound, it is somehow not outstanding but just average sadly. Sure, it is well-produced, the melodies are dark and may catch the attention of the listener but they might not really stay long in our minds… and this is the biggest con of this album. It’s just one of those records that you will listen to and then just put aside as it lacks the overall soul. The BM riffs will become dull with each song as the album doesn’t hold any spark or twist. It’s such a shame because considering this being the last album of the band, I expected to hear a rather grandiose and bombastic ending but all I feel is a rather “Let’s get it over with” approach… On the other hand, it’s also good as it gives the signals that the band maybe lacks the inspiration and doesn’t want to go on anymore. All in all, it’s for the best to leave it at that.

It’s sad to say goodbye to this band with a record like that. Being a rather new listener of them, I surely won’t remember the band with this record but maybe with the other ones… Farewell Alghazanth.

Album Line-up:
Thasmorg – vocals & bass
Mordant – guitars
Vexd – guitars
Gorath Moonthorn – drums
Trollhorn – keyboards

Tracklist: 1. Self-Exiled 2. Facing the North 3. Aureate Waters 4. The Upright Road 5. At Their Table 6. The Foe of Many Masks 7. Twice Eleven 8. Pohjoinen 9. To Flames the Flesh

Links:
Alghazanth Official