BARATHRUM – Fanatiko

Well here we are with album number 9 from Finnish Black Doom outfit Barathrum. If you haven’t heard these guys before the crushing twin bass wall of sound will come as something of a revelation. It does exactly what you want metal of this sort to do – it kneels on your back and smashes your face repeatedly into the floor. As you can tell by a glance at the band pics, Barathrum are nothing if not theatrical and this comes in the songs too – Fanatiko plays through like a Black Metal opera.

Barathrum have been around since 1990, and Fanatiko sounds like they have achieved almost everything the set out to do. The production gleams like a black monolith and the cumulative experience of each member is audible at all times. While none of the songs is less that good, overall there is some difference in quality from one track to the next, and while there are some killer riffs, it feels as if Fanatiko isn’t engaging or memorable enough to make it indispensible, but it is a worthy addition to the band’s catalogue and existing fans should find it hits the spot.

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